A  Reprint  of  Economic  Tracts 

Edited  by 

JACOB  H.  HOLLANDER,  PH.  D. 

Professor  of  Political  Economy 

Johns  Hopkins  University 


Jacob  Vanderlint 

_         // 1 


Money  Answers  all  Things 
1734 


V3 
1914 


COPYRIGHTED  1914,  BY 
THE  JOHNS  HOPKINS  PRESS 


BALTIMORE,  MD.,  U.  8.  A. 


INTRODUCTION 

Jacob  Vanderlint  figures  in  the  history  of  economic  literature  as  the 
author  of  one  book.  Nothing  is  known  of  the  circumstances  under  which 
"Money  Answers  All  Things"  was  composed,  nor  indeed  of  the  life  of 
the  writer.  The  extreme  rarity  of  the  volume  suggests  that  the  edition 
was  small,  and  the  infrequent  reference  to  it  in  economic  literature  indi- 
cates that  the  essay  exercised  no  considerable  influence  upon  contemporary 
thought.  In  1 8 10  Dugald  Stewart — exploiting  the  Earl  of  Lauderdale's 
"curious  and  valuable  collection  of  rare  English  Tracts  relating  to  Polit- 
ical Economy" — noted  that  Vanderlint 's  name  "has  been  frequently 
referred  to  of  late  years."  But,  added  Stewart,  the  essay  "never  seems 
to  have  attracted  much  notice  till  long  after  the  publication  of  the  Wealth 
•/Nations."* 

Vanderlint,  as  the  name  betrays,  was  of  the  Dutch-Flemish  stock  whose 
implanting  in  England  in  the  seventeenth  century  exercised  so  marked  an 
influence  upon  English  economic  development.  The  dedication  of  the 
essay  to  "the  Merchants  of  Great  Britain,"  and  the  author's  hope  of 
making  himself  understood  "with  that  Perspicuity  and  Evidence  which 
may  be  expected  from  an  ordinary  Tradesman"  suggest  that  the  author 
was  actually  engaged  in  mercantile  life.  He  disclaims  "the  Accuracy  and 
Conciseness  of  a  Scholar"  but  he  seems  well  read  in  current  literature, 
and  his  pen  if  untrained  is  none  the  less  clear  and  vigorous. 

The  essay  is  one  of  the  most  important  of  the  flood  of  economic  writing 
evoked,  directly  and  indirectly,  by  Walpole's  excise  scheme.  A  series  of 
writers,  as  far  back  as  Lauderdale*,  credit  Vanderlint  with  authorship  of 
the  project  of  the  single  tax  on  land — either  independently  or  jointly  with 
Locke,  to  whom  Vanderlint  is  certainly  indebted  in  other  respects  as  in- 
deed for  his  title.3  McCulloch  concurs  with  Dugald  Stewart  that  in 
advocacy  of  commercial  freedom,  Vanderlint  will  bear  "a  comparison 
both,  in  point  of  good-sense  and  of  liberality,"  with  Hume.4  More 


1  "Collected  Works  of  Dugald  Stewart"  fed.  Hamilton) ,  vol.  x,  pp.  2, 
88-89. 

*"An  Inquiry  into  the  Nature  and  Origin  of  Public  Wealth"  (1804), 
p.  nsn. 

"Further  Considerations  concerning   Raising  the  Value  of  Money" 
(1695),  p.  2. 

"The  Literature  of  Political  Economy"  (1845),  p.  162. 


4  INTRODUCTION 

recently  Mrs.  Rhys  Davids  speaks  of  Vanderlint  having  "initiated  scientific 
socialism  in  England."5  Whatever  be  the  accuracy  of  such  estimates, 
certainly  no  careful  study  of  either  French  or  English  eighteenth  century 
economic  thought  can  overlook  Vanderlint's  performance. 

In  the  present  reprint  the  general    appearance   of  the  title  page  of  the 
original  edition  has  been  preserved,  and  the  original  pagination  indicated.6 

BALTIMORE,  November,  1913. 


5  "Dictionary  of  Political  Economy"  (ed.  Palgrave),  vol.  iii,  p.  610. 

"The  reprint  has  been  made  from  an  original  text  in  the  possession  of 
the  editor.  The  formal  collation  of  the  tract  is  :  Title,  verso  blank,  i  f.; 
dedication,  i  f.;  preface,  i-ii;  pp.  1-170.  12  mo.  The  notation  of  pp.  57-64 
is  omitted  and  that  of  pp.  65-72  duplicated. 

Mrs.  Homer  A.  Stebbins,  of  Columbia  University,  is  engaged  upon  a 
study  of  Vanderlint's  work  and  influence,  and  has  courteously  supplied 
information. 


MONEY  anfwers  all  Things  : 

O  R,    A  N 

ESSAY 

TO     MAKE 

MONEY 

Sufficiently  plentiful 

Amongft  all  Ranks  of  PEOPLE, 

AND 

Increafe  our  Foreign  and  Domeftick  TRADE; 
Fill  the  EMPTY  HOUSES  with  Inhabitants, 

Encourage    the    MARRIAGE    STATE, 

Leflen  the 

Number  of  HAWKERS  and    PEDLARS, 

AND, 

In  a  great  meafure,  prevent  giving  long   CRE- 
DIT, and  making  bad  DEBTS  in  TRADE. 

Likewife  fhewing, 

The  Abfurdity  of  going  to  War  about  TRADE  ; 

and  the  moft  likely  Method  to  prevent  the  Clandestine 
Exportation  of  our  WOOL: 

AND    ALSO 

To   reduce   the    NATIONAL   DEBTS,    and   eafe 
the   TAXES. 

By  JACOB  .VANDERLINT. 

The  Deftruction  of  the  Poor  is  their  Poverty.     Prov.  x.  15. 

LONDON: 

Printed  for  T.  Cox;  and  Sold  by  J.  WILFORD,  at  the  Three 
Flonuer  de  Luces  behind  the  Chapter- Houfe  in  St.  PauV  s-Cburcb- 
Yard.  M.DCC.XXXIV.  [Price  i /.  6</.] 


TO   TH  E 
Merchants    of    Great- Britain. 


Gentlemen, 

F  this  Essay  be,  what  I  humbly  pre- 
sume it  is,  an  evident  and  clear  Ac- 
count of  the  Foundation  of  the  Trade 
of  the  World;  and  so  particularly 
adapted  to  the  State  of  Trade  in  this 
Nation,  as  to  point  out  the  Means 
to  inlarge,  and  carry  it  to  the  utmost 
Perfection;  I  think,  I  may  reasonably  hope  that,  as 
it  must  merit  your  Regard,  so  it  will  not  be  unwor- 
thy your  Patronage. 

But  this  is  not  the  only  Motive,  which  induces  me 
most  humbly  to  dedicate  it  to  you,  Gentlemen:  No; 
I  have  the  Interest  and  Advancement  of  Trade  (on 
which  the  Welfare  and  Happiness  of  Mankind  so 
much  depends)  really  at  Heart.  And  therefore 
(being  sensible  ||  the  Flaws  and  Imperfections  of 
this  Work  can't  escape  your  Penetration)  would 
earnestly  recommend  it  to  your  Improvement:  That 
the  great  Basis  of  Trade  may  be  established  by 
Principles,  as  solid  and  perspicuous,  as  those  Rules 
by  which  your  particular  Affairs  are  directed.  And 
then  it  will  be  no  greater  Difficulty  to  account  for 
the  Changes  and  Turns  the  Trade  of  Nations  takes, 
than  it  is,  by  your  exact  and  excellent  Method  of 


8  DEDICATION 

Accounts,  to  shew  all  the  Turns  any  of  your  partic- 
ular Affairs  take.  And  I  am  well  satisfied,  the 
former,  by  my  Principles,  when  improv'd  by  your 
refin'd  Judgment  and  Skill  in  Trade,  will  be  as 
easy  and  demonstrative  as  the  latter.  I  am,  with  the 
greatest  Esteem, 

GENTLEMEN, 

Your  most  humble  Servant, 

JACOB  VANDERLINT. 


PREFACE. 


the 


\EDUCING    the  present  Rates  of 
Labour,  appears  to  me  so  absolutely 
necessary  to  increase  our  foreign  and 
domestick  Trade,  that  I  have  endeav- 
our d  to  shew  how  it  may  be  effected, 
to  the  great  Advantage  of  every  Per- 
.son,from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  in 
Community;    and  that  reducing  the   Rates   of 


Labour,  the  Way  proposd  in  this  Essay,  which  is 
the  only  Way  it  can  possibly  be  done,  will  together 
with  it  effect  all  the  Things  I  have  mentioned  in  the 
Title  Page;  and  this  Method  will  cause  Multitudes 
to  become  the  Owners  and  Possessors  of  Property, 
who  otherwise  never  will  have  a  Shilling  to  spare. 

I  am  sorry  I  am  not,  in  all  Respects,  equal  to  this 
most  important  Undertaking;  yet  I  doubt  not,  that  I 
have  suf  j|  jiciently  made  out  what  I  have  under- 
taken;  and  though  not  with  the  Accuracy  and  Con- 
ciseness of  a  Scholar,  yet  with  that  Perspicuity  and 
Evidence  which  may  be  expected  from  an  ordinary 
Tradesman. 

And  as  this  is  the  utmost  I  am  capable  of,  I  hope  the 

Inaccuracy  and  Prolixity  of  this  Performance  will 

be  overlooked  by  the  candid  and  ingenuous  Reader, 

for  the  Sake  of  the  Importance  of  the  Subject,  and 

that   Evidence    with    which   I  have   supported  my 


io  PREFACE 

Arguments.  And  I  the  rather  hope  for  this  Indul- 
gence^ since  the  Path  I  tread  is  not  only  unfrequented, 
but  perhaps  entirely  new:  And  as  the  Principles  of 
Trade,  I  proceed  on,  are  founded  in  the  Nature  of 
Things,  and  Constitution  of  the  World  itself,  so  I 
doubt  not  that  they  are  capable  of  strict  Demonstra- 
tion, in  which  Way  I  should  be  glad  to  see  them 
handled  by  such  as  have  Abilities  for  it. 


AN 

ESSAY 

To  make  MONEY  fufficiently 
plentiful  amongft  all  Ranks 
of  People,  &c. 

I  HE  bad  Circumstances  Trade  in 
general  hath  been  in  for  some  Time, 
which  instead  of  mending  seems  still 
growing  worse,  induced  me  to  con- 
sider the  Causes,  which  the  sudden 
and  extraordinary  Rise  of  Victuals  a 
few  Years  ago  did,  in  my  Opinion, 
clearly  enough  point  out  and  discover.  For  I  ob- 
served, that  Rise  was  not  intirely  owing  to  the 
Seasons,  which  will  always  influence  the  Price  of 
Necessaries;  but  rather,  and  indeed  chiefly,  to  the 
Want  of  Cultivating  and  Tilling  a  great  deal  more 
Land,  to  make  the  Plenty  greater :  And  as  the 
Rise  of  any  Thing  implies  some  Degree  of  Scarcity, 
so  this  suggests  that  too  few  of  ||  the  People  are  2 
imploy'd  in  Cultivation  of  Land,  and  the  Affairs 


12  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

thereof,  and  consequently  too  many  in  all  Trades, 
Manufactures,  and  Professions;  whence  these  being 
thus  overstocked  with  Numbers,  must  needs  be  de- 
pressed and  embarrassed;  as  they  certainly  are,  in 
Reference  to  the  great  End  of  them,  which  is  solely 
Profit;  whilst  the  other  wants  the  Surplusage  of 
Hands  to  increase  the  Plenty,  and  keep  down  the 
Price  of  Necessaries  from  rising  as  they  did  at 
that  Time. 

In  Consequence  of  these  general  Observations,  I 
have  since  made  many  Reflections,  which  I  hope 
may  be  useful;  and  therefore  have  endeavour'd  to 
write  some  of  them  down,  that  it  may  clearly  appear 
where  the  Fault  lies,  and  how  it  may  be  remedied; 
and  I  trust  I  have  sufficiently  done  this  in  the  follow- 
ing Essay. 

And  as  I  find,  Considerations  on  the  Use,  Neces- 
sity, Increase,  and  Diminution  of  Money  amongst 
the  People,  will  best  explain  this  momentous  Affair; 
I  shall  lay  down  and  illustrate  some  Principles  re- 
lating to  Money,  which  I  think  deserve  to  be  re- 
garded as  Maxims. 

I.  Money  (i.  e.  Gold  and  Silver)  being,  by  the 
Consent  of  all  Nations,  become  Counters  for  ad- 
justing the  Value  of  all  Things  else,  and  balancing 
all  Accounts  between  Man  and  Man;  and  the  Means 
by  which  Commodities  of  all  Kinds  are  procured 
and  transferred  from  one  to  another;  is  hence  be- 
come the  sole  Medium  of  Trade. 

II.  Money  (by  which  understand  always  Gold  and 
Silver)  can  be  brought  into  a  Nation,  that  hath  not 

3  Mines,  by  this  Means  only;  viz.  ||  by  such  Nation's 
exporting  more  Goods  in  Value  than  they  import: 
For,  in  Proportion,  as  the  Value  of  the  Exports 
exceeds  the  Value  of  the  Imports,  Money,  which 
must  balance  the  Account,  increaseth  faster  or 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  13 

slower;  and,  contrariwise,  where  the  Imports  exceed 
the  Value  of  the  Exports,  the  Cash  of  such  Nation 
must  proportionably  diminish.  And  this  is  called, 
and  doth  constitute,  the  general  Balance  of  the 
Trade  of  all  Nations,  that  have  not  Mines. 

III.  Money  will  be  most  plentiful,  where  the  Mines 
are:  I  mean  by  this,  just  the  same  as  if  I  should  say 
the  Quantity  of  Coals  will  be  greater  at  Newcastle 
than  at  any  Place  that  is  supplied  only  with  Coals 
from  thence  :    And  consequently  I  mean  that  Gold 
and  Silver  will  as  certainly  be  less  valuable  where 
the  Mines  are,  than  at  any  other  Place  which  is  sup- 
plied with  those  Metals  by  them;  as  Coals  are,  and 
will  be  less  valuable  at  Newcastle,  than  at  any  other 
Place  that  is  supplied  with  Coals  only  from  thence. 
Whence  it  follows, 

IV.  That  the  Prices  of  the  Produce  or  Manufac- 
tures of  every  Nation  will  be  higher  or  lower,  accord- 
ing as  the  Quantity  of  Cash  circulating  in  such  Na- 
tion is  greater  or  less,  in  Proportion  to  the  Number 
of  People  inhabiting  such  Nation. 

To  illustrate  this,  let  it  be  supposed  that  we  have 
ten  Millions  of  Cash,  and  as  many  People  in  Eng- 
land; it's  evident  they  have  twice  as  much  Money 
amongst  them,  in  Proportion  to  their  Number,  as 
they  wou'd  have  if  their  Number  were  doubled,  and 
the  Quantity  of  ||  Cash  remain'd  just  the  same. 4 
And  therefore,  I  think,  they  could  give  but  half  the 
Price  for  Things  in  general  in  this  Case,  that  they 
could  do  when  they  were  but  half  the  Number,  with 
the  same  Quantity  of  Money  circulating  and  divided 
amongst  them.  Wherefore,  if  the  People  increase, 
and  the  Cash  doth  not  increase  in  like  Proportion, 
the  Prices  of  Things  must  fall;  for  all  the  People 
must  have  Necessaries,  to  procure  which  they  must 
all  have  Money:  This  will  divide  the  same  Quantity 


14  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

of  Cash  into  more  Parts,  that  is,  lessen  the  Parts; 
and  then  it's  evident  they  can't  pay  so  much  for 
their  Necessaries,  as  when  the  same  Cash  divided 
into  fewer  Parts,  makes  the  Parts  greater. 

The  Prices  of  all  Things  in  this  Kingdom,  some 
Centuries  ago,  were  vastly  lower  than  they  are  now. 
In  the  Reign  of  King  Henry  the  Eighth,  it  was  en- 
acted, that  Butchers  should  sell  their  Meat  by 
Weight;  Beef  at  an  Half-penny,  and  Mutton  at 
Three-farthings  per  Pound:  And  if  we  look  back  to 
the  Reign  of  King  Edward  the  Third,  we  find 
Wheat  was  sold  at  two  Shillings  per  Quarter,  a  fat 
Ox  for  a  Noble,  a  fat  Sheep  for  Six-pence,  six  Pid- 
geons  for  a  Penny,  a  fat  Goose  for  Two-pence,  a 
Pig  for  a  Penny;  and  other  Things  in  Proportion. 
See  Baker 's  Chronicle? 

Now,  since  the  great  Difference  of  the  Prices  of 
these  Things  now,  to  what  they  then  sold  for,  is 
undoubtedly  owing  solely  to  the  great  Quantity  of 
Gold  and  Silver,  which  since  that  Time  hath  been 
brought  into  this  Kingdom  by  Trade,  which  hath 
furnished  us  with  so  much  more  Money,  to  pay  such 
5 a  vast  deal  ||  more  as  we  now  must,  and  do  give  for 
them;  it  follows,  that  the  Prices  of  Things  will  cer- 
tainly rise  in  every  Nation,  as  the  Gold  and  Silver 
increase  amongst  the  People;  and,  consequently, 
that  where  the  Gold  and  Silver  decrease  in  any 
Nation,  the  Prices  of  all  Things  must  fall  propor- 
tionably  to  such  Decrease  of  Money,  or  the  People 
must  be  distress'd;  unless  the  Number  of  People 
decrease  in  as  great  Proportion  as  the  Cash  de- 
creaseth  in  any  such  Nation. 

V.  Banking,  so  far  as  one  is  paid  with  the  Money 
of  another,  that  is,  where  more  Cash  Notes  are 
circulated,  than  all  the  Cash  the  Bankers  are  really 
possessed  of  will  immediately  answer  and  make 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  15 

good;  I  say,  so  long  as  this  Credit  is  maintain'd,  it 
hath  the  same  Effect,  as  if  there  was  so  much  more 
Cash  really  circulating  and  divided  amongst  the 
People;  and  will  be  attended  with  these  Conse- 
quences, that  as  the  Price  of  Things  will  hence  be 
rais'd,  it  must  and  will  make  us  the  Market,  to  receive 
the  Commodities  of  every  Country  whose  Prices  of 
Things  are  cheaper  than  ours.  And  though  we  should 
lay  on  Duties,  or  prohibit  such  Goods,  this  will  not 
prevent  the  Mischief,  because  we  shall  not  be  able 
to  carry  our  Commodities  thus  raised  to  any  Nation, 
where  Things  are  cheaper  than  ours;  and  because 
such  Nations  will  hence  be  enabled  to  set  up  many 
of  our  Manufactures,  &c.  and  by  their  Cheapness  so 
interfere  in  our  Trade  at  all  other  foreign  Markets, 
as  to  turn  the  Balance  of  Trade  against  us,  which  will 
diminish  the  Cash  of  the  Nation.  The  same  Thing 
must  ||  be  understood  of  all  publick  Securities  what-6 
ever,  that  operate  as  Money  amongst  us. 

VI.  The  Plenty  or  Scarcity  of  any  particular  Thing, 
is  the  sole  Cause  whence  any  Commodity  or  Thing 
can  become  higher  or  lower  in  Price;  or,  in  other 
Words,  as  the  Demand  is  greater  or  less  in  Propor- 
tion to  the  Quantity  of  any  Thing,  so  will  such  Thing, 
whatsoever  it  is,  be  cheaper  or  dearer.    Nor  can  any 
Arts  or  Laws  make  this  otherwise,  any  more  than 
Laws  or  Arts  can  alter  the  Nature  of  Things. 

VII.  All  Things,  that  are  in  the  World,  are  the 
Produce  of  the  Ground  originally;  and  thence  must 
all  Things  be  raised.     The  more  Land  therefore 
shall  be  improv'd  and  cultivated,  &c.  the  greater 
will  the    Plenty  of  all  Things  be,  and  the  more 
People  will  it  also  imploy.     And  as  the    Produce 
will  hence  be  increased,  so  will  the  Consumption  of 
all  Things  increase  too;  and  the  greater  the  Plenty 
becomes  this  Way,  the  cheaper  will  every  Thing  be. 


1 6  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

And  thus  will  Money  become  plentiful,  because 
less  Money  will  purchase  every  Thing,  in  just  the 
same  Proportion  as  the  Plenty  of  every  Thing  shall 
reduce  the  Prices,  by  the  Increase  of  every  Thing 
in  Respect  of  the  Demand.  And  if  this  Method  be 
sufficiently  persued,  the  Plenty  may  be  increased 
so  much  as  to  make  Victuals  and  Drink  half  the 
Price  that  they  are  at  now;  which  will  make  the 
Price  of  the  Labour  of  Working  People  much  lower; 
for  the  Rates  of  Labour  are  always  settled  and  con- 
stituted of  the  Price  of  Victuals  and  Drink:  And  all 
7  Manufactures  will  be  vastly  ||  cheaper;  for  the  Value 
of  all  Manufactures  is  chiefly  constituted  of  the  Price 
or  Charge  of  the  Labour  bestowed  thereon.  This 
therefore  shews  how  to  make  Money  plentiful,  viz. 

First,  By  thus  making  the  Necessaries  of  Life 
cheaper,  to  such  a  Degree  as  shall  be  found  effectual 
to  reduce  the  present  Rates  of  Labour,  and  thereby 
the  Price  of  every  Thing  else,  so  much,  that  the 
Money,  now  circulating  amongst  the  People,  may 
extend  a  vast  deal  further  than  it  now  will  do. 

Secondly,  We  shall  hence  be  enabled  to  make, 
and  export  our  Manufactures  at  much  lower  Prices; 
and  this  must  needs  cause  us  to  export  abundance 
more  of  them  to  those  Nations  that  now  take  them 
of  us;  besides  that  it  will  enable  us  to  carry  our  Pro- 
duce, &c.  further  and  cheaper,  to  induce  other  Na- 
tions to  take  them  of  us,  who  now  perhaps  do  not 
take  any  of  our  Goods;  whence  the  Cash  of  the 
Nation  will  certainly  increase,  by  raising  the  Value 
of  our  Exports  above  the  Value  of  our  Imports;  that 
is,  the  Balance  of  Trade  will  thus  be  in  our  Favour, 
or  Money  will  thus  be  made  plentiful. 

VIII.  Plenty  of  Money  never  fails  to  make  Trade 
flourish;  because,  where  Money  is  plentiful,  the 
People  in  general  are  thereby  enabled,  and  will  not 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  17 

fail  to  be  as  much  greater  Consumers  of  every  Thing, 
as  such  Plenty  of  Money  can  make  them:  There- 
fore Trade  is  always  found  to  flourish  (i.  e.  increase) 
as  Money  grows  more  plentiful  amongst  the  People. 
The  Year  1720,  was  a  Proof  in  Fact  of  this  Maxim. 
And  hence  the  Revenue  must  needs  increase  like- 
wise; since  the  Duties  are  always  ||  levied  on  the 8 
Things  which  the  People  consume  and  use. 

IX.  Where  Trade  flourishes  (i.  e.  where  the  Bal- 
ance of  Trade   is   considerably  in    Favour  of  any 
Nation)  there  the  People  always  increase  greatly, 
and  become  generally  happy;  whence  such  Nations 
ever  grow  potent  and  formidable.    This  hath  always 
been  found  true  in  Fact,  and  is  almost  self-evident. 

X.  'Tis  the  Strength,  Honour,  and  Interest  of 
every  Government,  that  their  Subjects  be  as  num- 
erous, as  the  Continent  they  govern  will  support  in 
an  happy  Condition;  and  as  the  Happiness  (i.  e.  the 
Riches)  and  Numbers  of  the  Subjects,  are  greater 
or  less,  so  will  the  Strength,  Honour,  and  Revenue 
of  every  Government  be  greater  or  less. 

XI.  A  Kingdom  or  State  may  have  more  People 
in  it,  than  the  Land  it  contains  can  well  support; 
that  People  therefore  must  be  wretched,  and  that 
Government  weak,  till  so  many  of  the  poor  People, 
as  distress  each  other  by  their  Numbers,  are  remov'd 
where  they  can  have  Land  to  support  them.    The 
Case  is  the  same  exactly  in  every  Nation,  where  the 
Land  which  is  cultivated  doth  not  afford  enough  to 
make  all  Things  very  plentiful;  for  this  alone  can 
make  the  People  happy. 

XII.  The  Quantity  of  Land,  to  be  further  put  to 
Cultivation  and  Tillage,  must  be  so  great,  as  to  in- 
crease the  Plenty  of  every  Thing  to  such  a  Degree, 
that  the  Price  of  every  Thing  may  by  that  Plenty  be 
so  greatly  lower'd  that  the  Rates  of  Labour  may 


1 8  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

9  also  thereby  be  lower'd,  till  Money  thence  come  to  || 
be  plentiful  amongst  the  People  in  general.  'Till 
this  End  be  answer'd,  nothing  material  is  effected, 
nor  can  Trade  be  enlarged  abroad,  or  relieved  at 
home:  For  the  Cultivation  of  Land  is  the  sole 
natural  Encouragement  Trade  can  possibly  receive; 
because  all  Things  must  first  come  out  of  the 
Ground,  and,  according  as  the  Produce  of  the  Earth 
is  more  or  less  plentiful,  so  will  the  Consumption  of 
all  Things  be  greater  or  less;  that  is,  so  much  more 
or  less  Trade  will  there  be  amongst  the  People.  On 
this  the  Revenue  of  the  Nation  doth  so  much 
depend,  that  the  whole  Amount  of  it  will  be  greater 
or  less,  as  this  is,  or  is  not  duly  encouraged;  besides 
that  the  same  Sums  will  effect  more  or  less  accord- 
ingly. 

XIII.  The  Cash  of  any  Nation  will  always  de- 
crease, and  become  scarce,    in    Proportion  as  the 
Rents  are  raised,  above  what  the  Plenty  of  Money 
circulating  in  Trade  amongst  the  People,  will  well 
enable  them  to  pay;  and  where  there  is  not  Land 
enough  cultivated  to  keep  down  the    Rents,    and 
thereby  to  remedy  this  Mischief,  and  support  the 
People,  it  may  go  to  such  an  Extream,  as  to  leave 
very  little  Money  in  the  Nation.     For  where  Rents 
are  raised,  every  Thing  else  must  and  will  rise  too: 
Whence  other  Nations  will  be  able  to  supply  our 
Market;  and  as  most  of  our  Commodities  will  hence 
become  too  dear  to  be  taken  by  them  in  return,  so 
we  shall  vend  much  less    of  our  Goods    at    other 
foreign  Markets;  and  so  the  Balance  of  Trade  will 
turn  against  us,  and  draw  off  our  Money  as  long  as 

10  we  have  any.  || 

XIV.  Rents  have  been  advanc'd,  from  this  single 
Principle,  which  alone  can  possibly  raise  the  Price  of 
any  Thing;  viz.  a  Demand  for  Farms,  &c.  in  greater 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  19 

Proportion  then  they  were  well  to  be  had.  And 
as  this  hath  in  a  great  Measure  hindered  the  People 
from  going  on,  as  such  Demand  for  Farms  shews 
they  naturally  would,  in  cultivating  more  Land  as 
they  increased  in  Numbers,  so  that  Surplus  or  In- 
crease of  the  People  have  been  obliged  to  imploy 
themselves  in  Trades,  Manufactures,  and  Profes- 
sions, till  they  have  so  much  overstock'd  and  em- 
barras'd  all  these,  that  their  Trades,  &c.  will  not 
answer  to  support  them,  whilst  at  the  same  Time 
the  Necessaries  of  Life,  and  Rents  have  been  greatly 
advanc'd,  to  what  they  were  formerly.  This  there- 
fore must  be  remedied,  or  Multitude  must  be  ruin'd: 
Nor  can  the  Gentlemen  escape;  for  if  Money  become 
so  scarce,  (as  it  certainly  in  a  great  Measure  is  at 
present  amongst  the  People,)  that  the  Fruits  of  the 
Earth  will  hardly  bring  Money  enough  to  support 
the  Farmers,  and  pay  all  Charges  exclusive  of  Rent; 
as  many  Gentlemen  already  find,  who,  on  that 
Account,  are  obliged  to  take  their  Farms  into  their 
own  Management:  The  Gentlemen,  I  say,  can  fare 
no  better  than  to  become  skilful,  industrious  Farmers 
themselves,  and  get  their  Living  by  that  Means, 
till  Money,  as  it  hath  heretofore  been,  becomes 
plentiful  enough  to  pay  all  Charges,  with  a  Surplus 
to  pay  Rent;  which  will  be  done  whenever  the  Rents 
are  lowered  enough  to  make  Money  flush,  or  plenti- 
ful amongst  the  Trading  Part  of  the  People,  but  not 
sooner.  || 

XV.  If  all  the  Gentlemen  in  the  Nation  would 
lower  their  Rents,  at  the  Request  of  the  People, 
this  could  not  answer  the  End;  because  the  Demand 
for  the  Fruits  of  the  Earth,  which  the  Land  at  present 
cultivated  can  produce,  is,  and  will  continue  to  be  so 
great,  if  the  People  be  not  diminished,  as  necessarily 
to  keep  the  Price  higher  than  the  Money  circulating 


2O  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

amongst  them  will  well  enable  them  to  pay  for  them; 
and  because,  until  many  more  of  the  People  are 
employ'd  in  Cultivation,  &c.  to  lessen  the  Number 
of  Poor,  and  make  greater  Plenty,  all  kinds  of  Trade, 
Manufactures,  and  Professions  must  needs  continue 
so  overstocked  with  Numbers  of  People  imploy'd  in 
them,  as  absolutely  to  spoil  them  all,  as  to  the 
Profits,  which  is  the  sole  End  of  Trade.  Therefore 
the  natural  Way  to  lower  the  Rents,  can  only  be, 
by  putting  such  very  great  Tracts  of  waste  Land 
into  Cultivation,  as  may  make  Farms  abound;  which 
will  lower,  and  make  the  Rents  easy,  and  will  employ 
the  People,  not  in  Cultivation  only,  but  in  every 
Kind  of  Manufacture,  Trade  and  Calling.  For  all 
this  will  be  the  necessary  Consequence  of  cultivat- 
ing such  large  Tracts  of  waste  Land,  as  must  be 
cultivated  to  make  Farms  abound,  and  Rents  easy. 

But  I  am  sensible,  this  Proposal  must  meet  with 
almost  an  insuperable  Objection,  from  all  Gentlemen 
whose  Estates  consist  of  Land;  since  if  the  Plenty 
of  every  thing  must  be  increased  so  much,  that  the 
Produce  of  the  Earth  may  become  a  great  deal 
cheaper,  the  Rents  must  be  lowered  a  great  deal 
too;  I  am  so  apprehensive  of  the  Power  of  this  Pre- 
12  judice,  that  I  fear  it  ||  will  be  very  hard  to  remove 
it.  But  I  shall  endeavour  to  do  it,  by  shewing  that 
it  is  no  real  Loss  to  Gentlemen  this  Way  to  lower 
their  Estates. 

What  I  have  said  is  a  strong  Argument  to  the 
Purpose,  that  the  Scarcity  of  Money  among  the 
People  will  unavoidably  disable  the  Farmers  to  pay 
their  Rents.  To  this  Cause,  which  doth  naturally 
lessen  the  Consumption  of  all  Things,  in  such  Pro- 
portion as  the  Cash  grows  scarcer,  and  thereby 
keeps  the  Fruits  of  the  Earth  from  rising  to  a  Price, 
that  might  enable  the  Farmers  to  pay  their  Rents, 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  21 

it  must  be  ascribed,  that  Corn,  &c.  hath  hardly  of 
late  fetched  Money  enough  to  pay  all  Charges,  ex- 
clusive of  Rent;  and  not  to  the  Plenty  of  Corn  con- 
sidered in  itself.  For  cheap  as  Corn  is,  the  Number 
of  Poor,  as  most  Parishes  find,  is  greatly  encreased 
of  late  Years;  witness  the  Numbers  we  are  continu- 
ally transporting,  and  the  late  Invention  of  erecting 
Workhouses  for  the  Poor,  and  the  Complaints  of 
Tradesmen  all  over  the  Kingdom,  which  have  been, 
and  are  very  great,  and  very  just.  Now  suppose 
Corn,  &c.  were  considerably  advanced,  to  enable 
the  Farmers  to  pay  their  Rents;  what  must  become 
of  the  trading  Part  of  the  Nation,  who  already,  with 
Justice,  complain  they  can  hardly  get  Money  to 
support  themselves,  at  the  present  Rates  of  Things? 
And  how  much  more  would  the  Poor  and  their  Cal- 
amities increase,  by  such  a  Rise  of  Necessaries, 
together  with  the  still  greater  Decay  of  Trade  it 
must  occasion;  since  if  the  Prices  of  Things  were  to 
be  advanced,  the  People  in  general  for  want  of 
Money  must,  ||  if  possible,  be  still  less  Consumers,  13 
and  consequently  make  just  so  much  less  Business 
amongst  them,  who  have  already  much  too  little? 
Besides,  it  is  always  found  that  as  Trade  lessens 
(or  is  divided  amongst  more  Particulars,  which  is 
much  the  same  Thing  in  Effect)  the  Profits  of  Trade 
lessen  in  still  greater  Proportion  to  the  Business 
transacted. 

But  to  proceed:  To  shew  that  Gentlemen  will  lose 
nothing  by  falling  their  Rents,  Let  it  be  supposed, 
that  all  the  Land  in  the  Kingdom  were  to  be  raised 
20  /.  per  Cent,  per  Annum.  Since  the  Land  would 
bear  no  more  Corn,  graze  no  more  Cattle,  &c.  than 
it  now  doth;  must  not  the  Corn  and  Cattle,  &c.  be 
considerably  advanced  ?  and  must  not  the  Labourer, 
whose  Necessaries  must  then  cost  more,  have  more 


22  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

for  his  Labour?  and  must  not  Timber  to  make 
Carriages,  and  for  every  other  Use,  cost  more  to 
fell  and  hew  it,  &c.  and  must  not  Horses,  to  draw 
the  Fruits  of  the  Earth,  &c.  to  Market,  be  more 
valuable;  and  consequently  Carriage,  and  every 
Manufacture  cost  more  too  ?  I  think  all  Things 
would  certainly  thus  be  raised,  if  Money  could  be 
found  to  circulate  them  at  such  an  Advance.  And 
then,  since  Gentlemen  are  Consumers,  and  must 
buy  every  thing,  as  well  as  others,  at  this  Advance, 
what  would  they  be  advantaged  by  receiving  20 
per  Cent,  per  Annum  more,  and  paying  that  at  least, 
if  not  more,  for  what  they  want  ? 

But  if  Gentlemen  should  say,  this  would  be  so  as  to 
what  they  spend;  yet  what  they  save,  and  layup.would 
be  more:  For  instance,  suppose  a  Gentleman  of  1000 
14 /.  per  Annum,  now  ||  spends  500  /.  and  lays  up  500  /. 
per  Annum\  if  Estates  were  thus  raised,  he  would  at 
the  same  Rate  spend  600  /.  and  lay  up  600  /.  per 
Annum-.  But  how  wou'd  he  be  the  richer,  since  the 
Price  of  every  Thing  being  raised  in  like  Proportion 
at  least,  which  is  an  unavoidable  Consequence,  his 
600  /.  would  purchase  no  more  than  500  /.  did  be- 
fore ?  Wherefore  Gentlemen  would,  in  this  Case,  be 
not  one  Jot  advantaged.  If  therefore  Rents  should 
fall  30  /.  per  Cent,  per  Annum,  every  thing  would 
certainly  fall,  in  at  least  the  same  Proportion;  so 
that  Gentlemen  would  lose  nothing,  but  the  Name 
of  so  much  per  Annum\  which,  I  think,  the  Argu- 
ment above  doth  sufficiently  evince.  But  lest  the 
Name  of  losing  so  much  per  Annum  should  be  a 
Prejudice,  strong  enough  to  prevent  the  Execution 
of  this  so  necessary  Proposal;  let  it  be  further  con- 
sider'd,  that  empty  Houses,  the  Number  of  which 
at  present  is  very  great,  and  will  be  greater  still,  if 
this  Method  be  not  taken  to  fill  them;  I  say,  empty 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  23 

Houses,  if  they  can  be  filled,  are  real  Estates,  as 
well  as  Land.  Now  if  Money  be  thus  made  plenti- 
ful, as  it  certainly  may,  Plenty  of  Money  will  soon 
make  Trade  flourish,  and  a  flourishing  Trade  will 
soon  enable  the  People  to  occupy  more  Houses,  and 
hereby  the  Number  of  People  likewise  will  soon  be 
increased*;  so  that  Landlords  taken  in  their  ||  full  15 
Extent,  including  Landlords  of  Houses  as  well  as 
of  Land,  will  thus  certainly  be  Gainers,  by  falling  their 
Estates  so  much  as  shall  be  needful  to  make  Money 
plentiful;  which  will  soon  fill  their  Houses.  But  it 
may  be  said,  if  Lands  must  fall  30  per  Cent,  which 
is  near  a  third,  to  fill  the  Houses;  and  but  an  eighth, 
or  a  ninth  of  the  Number  of  Houses,  as  I  shall 
shew,  remain  to  be  filled;  how  are  Landlords,  taken 
in  the  full  Sense  of  the  Word,  including  Landlords 
of  Houses  as  well  as  of  Land,  Gainers  ?  I  answer, 
that  the  Rents  are  now  raised  above  their  proper 
Value;  for  the  proper  Value  of  any  thing,  is  really 
no  other,  than  what  the  Money  circulating  among 
the  People  will  well  enable  them  to  pay;  nor  can 
any  greater  Value  be  long  supported  by  any  Means 
whatsoever. 

But  it  will  be  asked,  How  we  shall  know  when 
the  Prices  of  Things  are  at  this  proper  Value  ?  I 
answer,  that  as  the  Price  of  Labour  is  always  con- 
stituted of  the  Price  of  Necessaries,  and  the  Price 
of  all  other  Things  chiefly  of  the  Price  of  Labour; 
whenever  the  Price  of  Necessaries  is  such,  that  the 
labouring  Man's  Wages  will  not,  suitably  to  his  low 

*  William  Nichols,  D.  D.  in  his  Conference  'with  a  Theist*  Page  64. 
says,  To  consider  farther,  how  mightily  this  Nation  of  ours  hath  increased 
within  a  Century  or  two;  notwithstanding  the  many  civil  and  external 
Wars,  and  those  vast  Drains  of  People  that  have  been  made  into  our  Plan- 
tations since  the  Discovery  of  America:  How  the  City  of  London  hath 
doubled  itself  within  these  forty  Years,  notwithstanding  the  last  great 
Plague;  and  how  the  Country  hath  increased,  though  not  in  the  like,  yet 
in  a  considerable  Proportion,  &c. 


24  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Rank  and  Station,  as  a  labouring  Man,  support 
such  a  Family,  as  is  often  the  Lot  of  many  of  them 
to  have,  the  Price  of  Necessaries  being  then  evi- 
dently so  much  too  high,  every  thing  else  is  so  too; 
or  then  may  the  Prices  of  Things  justly  be  said  to 
be  above  this  proper  Value;  which  will  more  clearly 
appear  in  the  Course  of  this  Essay. 

But  I  will  proceed  to  shew,  that  the  Gentlemen 
i6will  be  the  richer  for  falling  all  the  Lands  ||  in  the 
Kingdom  20  or  30  per  Cent,  per  Annum,,  provided 
this  Fall  be  effected  only  by  the  Addition,  and  Culti- 
vation of  so  much  more  Land,  as  will  make  Farms 
so  plentiful,  as  to  reduce  the  Rents  of  Lands  so 
much. 

For  if  it  shall  appear,  that  the  Gentlemen  would 
be  the  poorer,  if  all  the  Lands  in  the  Kingdom  were 
raised  20  per  Cent,  per  Annum;  I  think  the  Reverse 
must  follow,  that  they  would  be  the  richer  if  all  the 
Lands  were  fallen  20  or  30  per  Cent,  per  Annum; 
that  is  70  or  80  /.  would  certainly  buy  more,  if  all  the 
Lands  were  so  fallen,  than  1 20  /.  would  do,  if  all  the 
Lands  were  so  raised;  which  I  shall  endeavour  to 
prove. 

If  all  the  Lands  were  raised  20  per  Cent,  per  Ann. 
it's  certain  they  would  not  produce  more,  but  per- 
haps less,  than  they  now  do,  by  putting  it,  in  some 
Degree,  out  of  the  Farmers  Power  to  use  so 
much  Skill  and  Charge  to  cultivate  them,  as  they 
could  do  before  their  Rents  were  so  raised:  I  say, 
since  the  Land  could  however  produce  no  more 
than  it  now  doth,  all  the  Produce,  whatever  it  con- 
sists of,  must  be  sold  not  only  for  all  the  20  Pounds 
more,  but  there  must  be  Profits  likewise  on  all  those 
20  Pounds,  to  enable  the  Farmers  to  buy  whatever 
they  want  at  higher  Prices,  which  every  thing  must 
needs  be  advanced  to  from  thus  raising  the  Produce, 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  25 

which,  as  it  passeth  through  every  Hand  and  Manu- 
facturing, must  still  have  proportionably  increased 
Profits  on  the  thus  raised  prime  Cost,  before  it 
comes  to  the  Consumer;  who,  therefore,  must  thus 
certainly,  in  the  End,  not  only  pay  all  the  advanced 
20  ||  Pounds  Rent,  but  likewise  the  necessary  Profits  17 
thereon  through  all  the  several  Hands  it  must  pass  : 
And  since  the  Labour,  which  adds  the  greatest 
Value  to  every  thing,  must  in  this  Case  be  inhanced 
likewise,  it's  evident,  the  same  Quantity  of  Produce 
must  be  dearer  by  all  the  first-advanced  20  Pounds 
Rent,  and  by  suitable  Profits  to  all  the  several 
Hands  through  which  it  must  pass,  together  with  a 
greater  Charge  of  Labour  thereon;  whence,  if  the 
same  Quantity  of  Produce  must  thus  cost  a  great 
deal  more,  than  all  the  20  Pounds  Rent,  by  which 
it  was  first  inhanced,  the  Parts  must  cost  more  too 
in  such  Proportion;  so  that,  I  think,  I  need  not 
scruple  to  assert,  that  140  /.  could  not  in  this  Case 
purchase  what  100  /.  now  doth;  whence  Gentlemen, 
who  are  Consumers  in  common  with  others,  would 
thus  evidently  be  much  the  poorer  for  so  raising 
their  Estates;  and  therefore  I  think  it  an  undeniable 
Consequence,  that  they  wou'd  be  the  richer  for 
lowering  their  Estates  20  or  30  /.  per  Cent,  per  Ann. 
since  it  must  be  equally  certain,  that  70  or  80  /. 
would  purchase  more  in  this  Case,  than  ioo/.  now 
doth;  as  it  is  certain  120  /.  in  the  other  Case,  would 
not  purchase  so  much  as  ioo/.  now  doth. 

And  this  both  accounts  for,  and  verifies  an  Obser- 
vation, I  have  heard  some  Gentlemen  make,  and 
wonder  at,  that  they  find  they  can't  live  so  well  and 
hospitably  on  the  same  Estates,  as  their  Ancestors 
did,  who  had  vastly  less  Income  from  them,  than 
their  Successors,  who  make  this  Observation,  now 
have.  If  therefore,  Gentlemen  find  themselves 


26  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

streighten'd,  by  raising  Rents  above  what  the  Money 
iScirculat  ||  ing  amongst  the  People  will  well  enable 
them  to  pay;  how  great  must  the  Streights  and  Dif- 
ficulties be  which  are  brought  on  the  People,  out  of 
whom  such  heavy  Rents  are  raised  ! 

But  perhaps  it  may  be  objected,  that  this  Argu- 
ment concludes  too  much :  Since,  if  70  /.  will  in  this 
Case  purchase  more  than  1 20  /.  why  will  not  nothing 
purchase  more  than  something  ?  To  which  I  answer, 
There  is  a  proper  Point,  at  which  it  will  stop  of 
itself;  which  is  this :  Whenever  the  Wages  of  the 
Labouring  Man,  and  Price  of  Necessaries  are  made 
so  near  equal,  that  he  can,  suitably  to  that  low  Rank 
in  Life,  support  such  a  Family  as  he,  in  common 
with  all  the  human  Kind,  chiefly  came  into  this  World 
to  raise,  (which  Things  I  hope  to  shew  may  be 
brought  much  nearer  together  than  they  now  are); 
I  say,  when  the  Labouring  Man's  Wages  will  do  this, 
the  Rent  the  Lands  will  then  bear,  is  that  proper 
and  fit  Rent,  which  will  enable  the  Gentlemen  to 
purchase  more  of  every  Thing,  than  any  larger 
Rents  can  enable  them  to  do;  which  I  prove  thus: 

Suppose  the  Rents  rais'd  so  much,  as  necessarily 
to  carry  the  Price  of  Goods  to  the  Consumers  in 
general,  to  higher  Rates  than  the  Money  they  can 
get  will  enable  them  to  purchase  what  they  really 
want;  this  makes  a  Kind  of  unnatural  Plenty  of 
Goods,  presenting  themselves  for  Buyers,  who, 
though  they  really  want  them,  can't  find  Money  to 
purchase  them,  and  therefore  are  forced  to  abridge 
their  necessary  Wants  as  much  as  they  can;  and  this 
depresses  the  Value  of  those  Goods  (which  thus  in 
19  the  End  must  want  Buyers)  below  the  Rates  ||  which 
the  Rents  have  made  necessary;  and  this  will  neces- 
sarily keep  the  Produce  of  the  Ground  which  the 
Farmers  bring  to  Market,  so  low,  that  they  can't 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  27 

make  it  answer  to  bear  all  Charges,  and  pay  their 
Rents;  whence  the  Gentlemen  must  find  it  difficult, 
if  not  impossible,  to  get  their  Rents;  whilst  at  the 
same  Time,  whatever  they  buy,  as  hath  been  prov'd, 
will  necessarily  be  dearer  in  a  greater  Proportion 
than  ever  the  Rents  can  be  raised;  whence,  I  think, 
it  must  be  plain,  that  such  Rents  of  Lands  in  general, 
as  will  nearest  comport  with  the  Point  above- 
mention'd,  will  always  purchase  most  of  every 
Thing. 

But  there  is  yet  another  strong  Argument  to  in- 
duce Gentlemen  to  make  Money  plentiful;  viz.  a 
due  Regard  to  the  Happiness  of  their  own  Families. 
For  let  it  be  consider'd,  that  Men  come  into  this 
World  to  raise  a  new  Generation,  and  depart  out 
of  it.  Now  the  Term  of  Life,  Men  will  be  found  to 
have  one  with  another,  from  the  Time  of  Marriage 
to  their  Death,  is  very  little  more  than  20  Years;  in 
which  Time,  one  Marriage  with  another,  I  suppose, 
produces  about  4  Children  who  live  to  Man's  Estate: 
Now  suppose  a  Gentleman  of  iooo/.  per  Annum, 
to  make  Provision  for  his  Children,  lays  up  50x3 /.  per 
Annum,  which  in  20  Years  will  be  loooo/.  sav'd  for 
them,  which  divided  into  4  Parts,  including  the 
Widow's  Share,  which  must  often  happen,  can  be 
but  25OO/.  for  each  Child's  Share:  And  since  this 
is  not  only  much  inferior  to  the  Estate  it  was  sav'd 
out  of,  but  hardly  sufficient,  viz.  the  Interest  thereof, 
to  maintain  a  single  Person  hand  ||  somely,  most  of2o 
the  Children  must  be  introduced  into  Trade,  to  im- 
prove their  Money  for  their  Families,  or  they  will 
soon  reduce  it  to  nothing.  Now  if  Trade  be  lan- 
guishing and  distress'd,  it  can't  be  expected  but 
many  such  will  sink  in  the  general  Difficulties  Trade 
lies  under.  Therefore,  if  there  be  any  Way  prac- 
ticable to  make  Money  plentiful  amongst  the  People 


28  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

in  general,  which  never  fails  to  make  Trade  flourish, 
it  ought  to  be  done,  not  only  from  a  common  Prin- 
ciple of  Affection  to  the  publick  Good,  but  for  the 
particular  Benefit  of  every  Gentleman's  own  imme- 
diate Offspring,  many  of  whom  are  sure  to  be 
affected,  just  as  Trade  is  in  a  flourishing  or  distress'd 
Condition. 

But  the  languishing  Condition  of  Trade  is  ascribed 
to  the  Luxury  of  the  People;  concerning  which  let 
it  be  consider'd, 

That  it  is  expected  of  every  Man,  that  he  provide 
for  himself  and  Family  a  Support;  but  this  Expec- 
tation is  unreasonable,  if  Things  are  not  so  wisely 
constituted  in  their  own  Nature,  that  every  one  may 
attain  this  End. 

The  Ways  Men  have  to  attain  this  Support,  are 
the  Exercise  of  their  several  Occupations. 

These  arise  solely  out  of  the  mutual  Wants,  &c. 
of  Mankind.  Children  who  can  do  little  or  nothing 
towards  supplying  themselves,  make  about  half  the 
Business  of  the  World;  since  more  than  half  the 
human  Race  die  under  17  Years  of  Age. 

Now  if  the  People  must  retrench,  they  must  do 
some  or  all  of  these  Things;  viz.  wear  fewer  and 
21  worse  Cloaths,  &c.  eat  less  and  worse  Vic  ||  tuals; 
imploy  fewer  or  no  Servants;  occupy  less  House- 
room,  and  use  less  Light  and  Fewel,  and  spend 
little  or  no  Money  in  any  Pleasure  or  Diversion; 
and  instead  of  Wine  or  strong  Beer,  drink  small 
Beer  or  Water;  and  avoid  Marriage,  as  many  cer- 
tainly do,  because  it  creates  a  greater  Expence  than 
they  can  support.  Now  wou'd  not  this  lessen  the 
Consumption  of  every  Thing,  and  hinder  many  from 
supporting  themselves  and  Families,  by  making  so 
much  less  Business  amongst  the  People,  and  there- 
by greatly  increase  the  Number  of  Poor;  who,  if  no 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  29 

other  Way  be  found  to  imploy  them,  which  Tillage 
alone  in  this  Case  can  do,  must  become  a  much 
greater  Burthen  than  they  are  ?  Besides  that  where 
the  Poor  increase,  the  Profits  of  Trade  will  be  still 
more  and  more  reduced,  through  Losses,  and  Want 
of  Trade,  and  the  Efforts  of  such  great  Numbers  of 
indigent  People,  as  must  be  striving  to  support 
themselves  in  that  Business  that  remains.  And  must 
not  the  Revenue  be  greatly  diminish'd  likewise, 
since  in  this  Case  the  Consumption  of  Things,  on 
which  the  Revenue  intirely  depends,  must  be  lessen'd 
very  much  ?  Besides,  'tis  certain  a  poor  People  can't 
pay  great  Taxes,  any  more  than  they  can  pay  great 
Rents. 

Therefore,  instead  of  urging  the  People  to  be  less 
Consumers,  Things  should  be  made  so  plentiful, 
that  they  might  be  greater  Consumers,  that  Busi- 
ness might  increase,  and  not  abate  amongst  the 
People.  And  then  Luxury  would  find  its  natural  and 
proper  Bounds,  which  if  any  Man  transgressed  in 
any  extraordinary  Measure  he  ||  would  be  sufficiently  22 
whipt  with  his  own  Rod. 

But  farther;  as  to  Luxury,  those  that  are  not  in- 
fluenced by  the  natural  Motives  to  Frugality,  will 
not  easily  be  restrained  by  any  other  whatsoever. 

The  natural  Motives  to  Frugality  are  these; 
present  Provision  for  Families,  and  Fortunes  for 
Children. 

They  who  neglect  the  first,  must  soon  suffer  Want; 
and  they  who  would  provide  for  the  latter,  must  con- 
sider what  the  Term  of  Life  is  which  they  may 
reasonably  hope  for,  and  take  care  that  their  Gains 
and  Expences  are  proportioned  to  the  End  de- 
signed. 

Now  as  Persons  must,  generally  at  least,  have 
handsome  Fortunes  themselves,  who  shall  provide 


30  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Fortunes  for  their  Children,  let  it  be  supposed,  that 
a  Man  sets  out  with  2000 /.  and  by  skilful  and 
prudent  Management  he  gains,  one  Year  with 
another,  about  500 /.  If  Men  who  have  such  For- 
tunes must  not  live  a  little  decently,  I  can't  see 
whence  Trade,  which  intirely  depends  on,  and  ter- 
minates wholly  in  the  Consumption  of  Things,  can 
arise;  nor  how  Landlords  can  expect  any  consider- 
able Rents  for  their  Houses,  &c.  and  I  am  certain 
that  to  pay  Rent,  and  Taxes,  and  all  other  Charges, 
and  maintain  a  middling  Family  in  London,  250  /. 
per  Annum,  is  but  a  scanty  Pattern,  even  where  all 
Things  are  managed  with  the  utmost  Frugality. 
Nay  50  or  60  /.  more  per  Annum,  as  the  Rents  and 
the  Rates  of  Things  now  go,  shall  hereafter  be 
shewn  to  be  but  a  very  moderate  Expence. 

But  suppose,  in  this  Case,  such  a  Man  should  lay 
23  up,  one  Year  with  another,  200 /.  and  that  ||  for  20 
Years,  which  is  I  believe  much  about  the  Term  Men 
have  to  raise  and  provide  for  Families,  he  then 
would  add  4000  /.  to  his  first  2000  /.  which  makes 
6000  /.  together,  to  be  divided  amongst  four  Chil- 
dren, which  I  take  to  be  the  Number  one  Marriage 
with  another  raises;  this  Sum  therefore  will  be  but 
T  200  /.  for  each  Child's  Share,  if  a  like  Sum  be  re- 
served for  the  Widow;  and  if  there  should  be  no 
Widow,  but  I5OO/.  for  each  Child,  which  will  not 
often  set  them  in  better  Circumstances  than  their 
Parents  set  out  in:  But  if  Things  must  be  worse 
than  this,  Families  must  soon  sink  into  Poverty. 
And  since  these  Things  are  subject  to  many  and 
great  Contingencies,  nobody  ought  to  think  25 1.  per 
Cent,  per  Annum,  even  on  such  a  Capital  imployed 
in  Trade,  too  great  Gain;  especially  considering 
what  Skill  and  Pains  are  necessary  to  reach  this 
End,  and  to  what  great  Risk  Money  imployed  in 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  31 

Trade  is  always  exposed,  beside  the  present  and 
future  Provision  with  which  Families  are  to  be  sup- 
plied out  of  it. 

Nothing  ought  to  be  deemed  Luxury  in  a  Trades- 
man, whilst  he  lives  at  about  half  the  Income  of  his 
Business;  yet  in  Prudence  he  ought  not  to  make 
too  great  a  Figure,  because  of  the  uncertain  and 
fluctuating  Nature  of  Trade,  which  may  happen 
some  time  or  other,  by  Misfortune,  if  not  otherwise, 
to  turn  against  him;  and  because  the  more  he  can 
lay  up  for  his  Children,  the  more  will  he  have  done 
towards  raising  them  to  better  Stations  in  Life. 

Nor  ought  it  to  be  deemed  Luxury  in  a  Trades- 
man if  he  spends  the  whole  Income  of  his  Business, 
if  such  Expence  be  unavoidable,  when  ||  the  utmost  24 
Frugality  and  good  Management  are  exercised  in 
such  a  Man's  Family. 

Peace  and  Plenty  comprehend  all  the  Felicity 
Mankind  were  designed  to  enjoy  in  this  mortal 
State;  and  are  so  well  known  to  constitute  the 
Happiness  of  the  World,  that  they  are  proverbial 
Terms  to  express  the  compleatest  general  Felicity; 
which  undoubtedly  suggests,  that  they  have  by  Ex- 
perience been  found  to  answer  the  End. 

Wherefore,  if  there  be  any  Difficulty  amongst  the 
People,  it  must  be  owing  to  the  Defect  of  one  or 
both  of  these. 

As  we  are  now  in  Peace,  it  must  be  owing  to  the 
Deficiency  of  Plenty,  that  the  Trade  of  this  Nation 
is  in  such  a  languishing  Condition;  the  Truth  of 
which  the  numerous  Complaints  to  the  Parliament, 
and  great  Number  of  empty  Houses  abundantly 
evince, 

Where  Tillage  and  Cultivation  of  Land  are  not 
annually  to  a  considerable  Degree  increased,  Peace, 


32  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

and  the  natural  Increase  of  Mankind  do  necessarily 
produce  a  general  Decay  of  Trade. 

For  Peace,  which  puts  an  End  to  the  vast  Busi- 
ness which  War  necessarily  creates,  obliges  those 
that  were  employed,  and  found  their  Livelihood  by 
the  Affairs  of  War,  to  employ  themselves  in  the 
Business  which  the  common  Affairs  of  Life  produce; 
and  as  hereby  there  is  a  much  greater  Number  of 
People  to  be  subsisted,  on  so  much  less  Business 
as  the  ending  a  War  puts  a  Period  to,  it's  plain  this 
must  divide  the  remaining  Business  into  a  great 
many  more  Parts;  whence  the  Profits,  which  ought 
to  be  so  much  augmented  as  the  Business  to  each 
25  Particular  be  ||  comes  less  (because  the  Expence  of 
Living  will  not  be  less)  are  always  found  by  Expe- 
rience to  lessen,  in  a  greater  Proportion  than  the 
Business  to  each  Particular  lessens.  And  this  is  the 
necessary  Consequence  of  having  a  greater  Number 
of  People  in  any  Trade,  where  the  Business  trans- 
acted by  them  all  is  no  greater  than  when  the  same 
Trade  and  Business  were  in  so  much  fewer  Hands; 
and  hence  Ruin  must  happen  to  many  whose  Trades 
are  thus  unhappily  circumstanced. 

Besides,  Peace  lowering  the  Interest  of  Money 
brings  many  more  People  into  Trade,  who  either 
cannot  live  on  the  reduced  Interest  of  their  Money, 
or  are  not  satisfied  to  do  so,  and  therefore  enter  on 
Trade  to  improve  their  Money  to  better  Advantage. 
And  such  having  abundance  of  Money  to  employ, 
must  needs  take  a  great  deal  of  Business  from  those 
that  had  it  before,  by  doing  Business  at  much  less 
Profit  than  it  was  before  done,  that  they  may  employ 
the  large  Sums  they  bring  into  Trade;  this  must 
needs  make  it  very  difficult  for  People  of  much  less 
Fortunes  to  get  a  Living,  and  of  Consequence 
greatly  increase  the  Number  of  Poor,  and  must 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  33 

needs  empty  the  Houses  too,  by  disabling  the  People 
to  pay  such  Rents  as  they  did  before;  and  will  drive 
many  out  of  the  Nation  to  get  their  Livings  by  the 
Arts  they  have  learned  here. 

The  heavy  Debts  and  Taxes  which  the  late  War 
hath  laid  this  Nation  under,  notwithstanding  we  had 
the  greatest  and  most  uninterrupted  Success  that 
could  be  wished,  and  have  since  had  so  long  a  Peace, 
may  shew  that  War  is  not  the  natural  Means  to 
make  Trade  flourish,  since  the  ||  Consequences  are  26 
still  so  burthensome  to  us.  And  if  we  look  back  to 
the  Condition  France  was  reduced  to  by  the  same 
War,  which  introduced  both  Famine  and  Pestilence 
amongst  them,  and  occasioned  the  People  to  sur- 
round the  Dauphins  Coach  in  Crouds,  and  cry  out, 
Peace  and  Bread!  Bread  and  Peace!  surely  these 
Things  may  fully  convince  us  that  War  is  a  very 
great  Calamity. 

Peace,  therefore,  being  the  only  natural  Founda- 
tion of  Happiness  to  any  Nation,  and  Trade  the 
particular  Means  whereby  the  People  can  be  em- 
ployed and  subsisted,  the  promoting  and  improving 
Trade  should  be  always  consulted,  and  especially 
in  Times  of  Peace,  which  is  favourable  to  such  a 
Design. 

In  general,  there  should  never  be  any  Restraints 
of  any  kind  on  Trade,  nor  any  greater  Taxes  than  are 
unavoidable;  for  if  any  Trade  be  restrained  in  any 
Degree,  by  Taxes  or  otherwise,  many  People,  who 
subsisted  by  the  Business  which  now  hath  Restraints 
laid  upon  it,  will  be  rendered  incapable  of  pursuing 
it,  and  of  Consequence  they  must  be  employed  some 
other  Way,  or  drove  out  of  the  Kingdom,  or  main- 
tained at  the  publick  Charge;  which  last  is  always 
a  great  and  unreasonable  Burthen,  and  should,  if 
there  be  any  possible  Way  which  might  employ 
them,  be  prevented. 


34  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Now  that  there  are  natural  Means  to  subsist  all 
Mankind  in  a  happy  Condition,  will  appear  clear 
from  the  Wisdom  and  Goodness  of  God,  who  hath 
taken  such  ample  Care  of  all  the  Creatures  below 
us,  that  they  want  no  good  thing,  nor  suffer  any 
27  Hardship  but  what  unreasonable  Men  ||  bring  upon 
them.  Wherefore  if  God  hath  so  wisely  and  graciously 
provided  for  all  the  Creatures  below  us,  for  whose 
Happiness  other  Beings  evidently  appear  to  be 
designed,  it  must  be  absurd  to  imagine  he  hath  dis- 
posed Things  so,  that  Unhappiness  in  any  Degree 
should  unavoidably  arise  to  Man,  whom  he  hath 
placed  at  the  Head  of  all  his  Works  in  this  World. 
Therefore  whatever  Difficulties  Mankind  meet,  must 
be  owing  to  their  own  Mismanagement,  in  not  look- 
ing through  the  Nature  of  Providence  with  respect 
to  themselves. 

One  Branch  of  that  Providence,  which  Men  should 
attend  to  and  consider,  is,  that  Mankind  as  certainly 
increase  as  Vegetables,  and  Animals;  and  therefore 
that  Increase  must  continually  be  employed  in  culti- 
vating proportionably  more  Land.  For,  otherwise 
being  all  Consumers,  there  must  continually  be 
greater  Numbers  subsisted  on  the  Produce  of  the 
same  Land  which  was  before  cultivated,  and  this 
will  increase  the  Demand  for  the  Produce,  and  in- 
hance  the  Price  of  it,  whilst  the  increasing  People 
must  employ  themselves  solely,  in  Trades,  Manu- 
factures, &c.  to  enable  them  to  subsist:  Whence  it 
must  needs  come  to  pass,  that  Trades,  Manufactures, 
&c.  will  soon  be  so  over-stocked,  that  all  the  Increase 
of  the  People  can't  be  subsisted  this  Way;  seeing 
the  Necessaries  of  Life,  for  which  they  all  ultimately 
work,  will  all  the  while  be  growing  dearer,  and  the 
People  less  able  to  purchase  them.  And  as  I  take 
this  to  be  very  much  our  present  Case,  as  may 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  35 

appear  by  an  Estimate  I  have  subjoin'd  of  the  neces- 
sary Expence  for  the  Support  of  a  poor  Family,  and 
another  for  ||  a  Family  in  a  middling  Station,  so  this  28 
Proposal  of  cultivating  proportionably  more  Land, 
appears  to  me  to  be  the  only  natural  Remedy  that 
can  be  applied;  the  happy  Effects  of  which,  if  suf- 
ficiently executed,  will  soon  discover  it  to  be  a  uni- 
versal Benefit,  notwithstanding  any  imaginary  Ap- 
pearances to  the  contrary. 

But  I  think  it  needful  here  to  observe  at  what 
Rate  Mankind  increase,  because  their  Happiness 
certainly  depends  on  cultivating  still  more  and  more 
Land  in  such  Proportion.  And  I  choose  to  take  Sir 
William  Pettish  Account  of  this,  who  proves  Man- 
kind will  absolutely  double  themselves  in  360  Years,* 
notwithstanding  Wars  and  Plagues:  Therefore,  the 
Quantity  of  Land,  which  every  Year  should  be  taken 
in  and  cultivated,  must  be  at  least  a  36oth  Part  of 
the  Quantity  at  present  in  Cultivation. 

Now  if  England  be  320  Miles  long,  and  290  Miles 
wide,  it  must,  supposing  its  Length  and  Breadth  to 
be  every  where  alike,  contain  92800  square  Miles: 
But  as  England  is  not  so  regular  a  Figure,  I  suppose 
it  will  be  needful  to  deduct  a  Third  of  its  Content 
for  its  Irregularity,  Towns,  and  Rivers;  and  then 
there  will  be  about  62000  square  Miles  contain'd  in  it. 

Now,  suppose  that  at  present,  but  about  half,  that 
is,  31000  square  Miles  are  cultivated,  a  36oth  Part 
of  that,  viz.  86  square  Miles  at  least,  should  every 
Year  be  further  added,  and  taken  into  Cultivation, 
to  hold  Proportion  to  the  natural  Increase  of  Man- 
kind: And  if  a  greater  Part  of  England  be  already 
improv'd  ||  than  I  have  supposed,  or  if  Mankind  in- 29 
crease  much  faster  than  Sir  William  Pettis  above 

*  I  take  this  from  Dr.  Nicbtb. 


36  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

asserts,  then  the  Addition    every   Year   must  be 
greater  too  in  such  Proportion. 

But  as  nothing  like  this  hath  hitherto  been  done, 
it's  evident  to  Demonstration,  That  hence  all  Trades, 
Occupations,  Manufactures  and  Professions,  are 
overstocked  with  Numbers,  and  embarrassed.  And 
hence  Rents  have  been  advanced  by  the  Demand 
the  Increase  of  People  hath  occasion'd  for  Land; 
and  hence  Living  is  become  much  more  chargeable 
than  formerly,  and  the  People  less  able  to  support 
themselves;  besides,  the  inhancing  the  Price  of  Ne- 
cessaries hath  either  advanced  our  Commodities,  or 
made  them  so  much  worse,  that  our  Neighbour 
Nations  have  not  taken  so  many  of  them  as  they 
would  otherwise  have  done,  and  we  probably  must 
have  taken  more  Commodities  of  them  for  this 
Reason.  And  thus,  I  doubt  not,  the  Ballance  of 
Trade  is  against  us,  that  is,  the  Gold  and  Silver  of 
this  Nation  have  by  this  Means  been  really  dimin- 
ished; and  the  prodigious  Exportation  of  Gold  and 
Silver  of  late  Years  is  a  strong  Indication  of  it,  what- 
ever Pretences  may  be  advanced  concerning  it  to 
the  contrary.  Beside  that  the  Exchange,  especially 
for  Holland,  hath  of  late  Years  been  considerably 
below  the  Value  of  our  Coin,  as  the  Exchange  with 
every  Nation  will  always  be,  whenever  they  have 
the  Ballance  upon  us  *.  And  though  this  may  be 
some  small  Encouragement  to  the  Exportation  of 
30 our  Commodities,  because  they  come  ||  so  much 
cheaper  to  the  Markets  abroad,  yet  if  our  Trade 
goes  on  so,  we  shall  certainly  have  very  little  Cash 
left.  But  if,  to  prevent  this  dreadful  Evil,  we  do  as 
fast  as  possible  put  a  very  great  Quantity  of  Land 
into  Use,  more  than  at  present  is  cultivated,  our  Poor 

*This  is  a  cerrain  Rule  to  know  when  the  Ballance  of  Trade  is  for  or 
against  us  with  any  Nation. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  37 

will  be  employ 'd,  the  empty  Houses  soon  filled,  and 
our  Manufactures  become  much  cheaper  and  better; 
and  this  will  both  increase  our  Exportations  to  the 
Nations  we  now  trade  with,  and  give  Rise  to  other 
foreign  Markets  to  vend  our  Goods  at,  and  prevent 
the  excessive  Importation  of  foreign  Goods  amongst 
ourselves;  and  thus  the  Ballance  of  Trade  will  be- 
come in  our  Favour,  and  increase  the  Cash  of  the 
Nation,  or  Money  will  certainly  by  this  Method 
become  plentiful  enough  amongst  the  People  in 
general.  But  there  is  no  other  Way  in  Nature  to 
compass  this  End,  or  recover  the  Trade  of  the  Na- 
tion: For  those  Nations  that  can  work  cheapest, 
must  have  the  Money,  as  sure  as  they  always  will 
have  the  Trade;  to  which  I  will  add,  that  the  People 
will  always  flow  into  those  Nations  that  get  the 
Money  (i.  e.  have  the  Ballance  of  Trade  in  their 
Favour)  because  Trade,  which  is  the  Means  of 
getting  the  Money,  is  that  which  employs  and  sub- 
sists them. 

But  before  I  dismiss  this  Point,  I  can't  help  taking 
Notice  of  an  Article  inserted  in  the  Daily  Courant 
of  January  3,  1731.  from  Berlin,  where,  it  seems, 
an  exact  Register  is  kept  of  the  Births,  Deaths,  and 
Marriages;  by  which  it  appears,  3332  Persons  were 
born,  and  2691  died;  so  that  the  Increase  is  641 
Persons  that  Year  in  that  City.  Now  I  have  tried 
the  Par  of  hu  ||  man  Life  from  our  Bills  of  Mortality,  31 
which  doth  not  amount  to  25  Years,  one  with  ano- 
ther: But,  however,  multiply  the  Deaths  by  25,  the 
Product  will  be  67275  Persons  in  that  City,  which 
divided  by  641,  the  Increase,  gives  104,  the  Number 
of  Years  in  which  Mankind  will  double.  And  if  we 
take  this  for  the  Rule,  there  must  be  near  300  square 
Miles  of  Land  more  taken  in  and  cultivated,  every 
Year  in  England^  or  the  Increase  must  fall  into  the 


38  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

several  Professions,  Trades,  and  Manufactures,  and 
over-do,  and  absolutely  spoil  them  all;  which  is  the 
necessary  and  unavoidable  Consequence  of  the  In- 
crease of  Mankind,  if  Land,  in  proportion  to  the 
Increase  be  not  every  Year  added  and  improved, 
to  employ  and  support  them. 

Another  Thing,  which  undoubtedly  is  of  the  utmost 
Importance  to  the  Trade  of  this  Kingdom,  is  the 
making  Timber  so  plentiful,  that  we  may  build  our 
Ships  so  much  cheaper,  that  no  Nation  may  be  able 
to  sail  for  less  Freights  than  the  English.  If  this  be 
sufficiently  done,  together  with  making  Labour  con- 
siderably cheaper,  Ships  may  soon  be  built  for  a 
Third  less  than  they  now  are,  which  will  certainly 
cause  still  many  more  Ships  to  be  built  here  than 
now  can  be;  and  this  will  employ  abundance  of  People 
of  many  Trades,  besides  the  still  greater  Numbers 
who  will  be  employed  in  navigating  them.  And  as 
the  Riches  of  this  Kingdom  do  undoubtedly  very 
much  depend  on  maritime  Affairs,  so  the  Strength 
of  it  is  chiefly  its  Navy:  Wherefore  if  Timber  be 
made  very  plentiful,  and  Labour  cheaper,  a  Man  of 
War  may  be  built  a  vast  deal  cheaper  too,  which 
32  would  ||  make  a  mighty  Difference  in  the  Expence 
the  Government  are  now  at  for  the  Navy,  beside 
that  they  will  be  mann'd,  and  fitted  to  Sea  at  so 
much  less  Expence  likewise.  This  will  infallibly  be 
the  Consequence  of  sufficiently  executing  this  Pro- 
posal in  all  its  Parts.  Thus  will  much  less  Money 
serve  all  the  Affairs  of  the  Government,  and  soon 
make  a  Surplus  arise,  to  reduce  the  national  Debts, 
and  ease  the  Taxes,  without  any  Inconvenience  to 
the  Government  or  the  Nation. 

It  might  be  expected  that  Gentlemen,  for  their 
own  Advantage,  and  the  Benefit  of  their  Families, 
should  plant  Timber  enough;  but  we  find  it  so  much 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  39 

otherwise,  that  Laws  have  been  made  to  oblige  this 
to  be  done,  and  yet  the  End  hath  not  been  attained; 
which  I  ascribe  to  these  Causes:  First,  The  Rents 
having  been  rising  of  late  Years,  from  the  con- 
siderable Demand  there  hath  been  for  Land,  hath 
been  one  Reason  that  planting  Timber  hath  not 
been  sufficiently  regarded.  Secondly,  Planting 
Timber  regards  Posterity  rather  than  ourselves 
immediately,  and  this  hath  occasioned  the  Neglect 
of  it;  and  if  we  continue  to  go  on  thus,  an  Observa- 
tion the  Spectator  NO  5834  recites,  that  the  Nation 
in  a  few  Years  will  be  at  a  Loss  to  supply  itself  with 
Timber  sufficient  for  the  Fleets  of  England,  will 
certainly  be  verified*.  Wherefore,  to  make  Plenty 
of  Timber,  I  would  propose,  that  a  Law  be  made, 
which  shall  effectually  provide,  and  ob  ||  lige  all  the  33 
Lands  throughout  the  whole  Kingdom,  at  all  times, 
to  maintain  a  Timber  Tree  in  every  Hedge  and 
Bank,  at  100  Feet  Distance  or  thereabouts,  which 
Distance  I  suppose  sufficient  to  admit  the  Sun  and 
Wind,  so  that  the  Fruits  of  the  Earth  may  receive 
no  Prejudice  by  the  Trees  that  should  thus  grow  in 
the  Hedges  and  Banks. 

Further,  all  Lands  that  are  infertile,  or  not  so  fit 
for  Cultivation;  and  likewise  all  waste  Land,  as  far 
as  it's  possible  to  effect  it,  should  be  well  planted 
with  Timber.  For  it's  well  known  that  all  Lands, 
where  Woods  have  been  cut  and  grubb'd  up,  are 
always  fruitful;  for  a  Wood,  by  the  Fall  of  the 
Leaves,  &c.  and  retaining  the  Rain  much  longer  on 
the  Ground  than  otherwise  it  would,  always  renders 
the  Ground  it  grows  on  more  fruitful;  besides  that 
Woods  always  produce  the  finest  and  best  Timber, 

*  Timber  hath  been  pretty  reasonable  these  2  or  3  Years  past,  which  I 
suppose  to  be  entirely  owing  to  an  extraordinary  Destruction  of  it,  the 
Gentlemen  cutting  it  down  in  greater  Quantities  than  usual,  because  the 
Farmers  in  general  have  not  been  able  to  pay  their  Rents  as  formerly. 


4O  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

whilst  the  Hedges  produce  the  strongest  and 
crookedest;  which  therefore  would  be  exceedingly 
useful  for  shipping,  and  especially  for  small  Vessels. 
Thus  Timber  may  be  made  plentiful  enough,  and 
then,  if  Labour  be  made  cheaper,  Ships  may  be 
built  so  cheap,  as  to  enable  us  to  cope  with  any 
Nation  in  the  World  in  all  maritim  Affairs.  But 
there  is  no  other  Way  in  Nature  to  do  this;  and  till 
'tis  done,  we  must  be  content,  not  only  to  see  the 
Ships  of  other  Nations  the  principal  Carriers  of  the 
World,  but  to  employ  many  Ships  ourselves  which 
are  not  built  in  this  Kingdom. 

But  it  will  be  objected,  This  can't  be  effected 
presently,  because  Timber  takes  many  Years  to 
grow  to  any  Perfection.  So  much  the  more  Need 
34 is  ||  there  that  it  be  done;  and  if  effectual  Provision 
be  made  for  Futurity,  the  present  Stock  of  Timber 
in  the  Kingdom  will  answer  the  End  sufficiently, 
whilst  the  Supply  is  growing  to  prevent  any  future 
Inconvenience,  provided  Labour  be,  as  speedily  as 
possible,  made  cheap  enough  to  contribute  to  that 
End:  For  the  same  Means  which  alone  can  make 
Labour  cheaper,  will  make  every  other  Thing 
cheaper.  And  this  may  be  fully  effected  in  a  very 
few  Years,  and  will  be  sensibly  felt  by  all,  from  its 
very  first  Attempt,  if  Land  enough  be,  as  fast  as 
may  be,  put  into  Cultivation  to  answer  the  Purpose. 
For  with  this,  every  Trade  will  infallibly  flourish, 
without  any  Inconvenience  but  falling  the  Rents, 
which  I  have  before  shewn  will  be  really  the  present 
Interest  of  every  Gentleman,  besides  the  sure 
Foundation  of  the  Happiness  of  his  immediate  Off- 
spring. 

And  as  to  the  Purchase  of  Estates,  which  is  always 
governed  by  the  Interest  of  Money,  they  will  be 
valued  at  as  many  Years  Purchase  as  they  would  if 
Rents  had  not  fallen;  and  tho'  the  Sums  they  sell 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  41 

for  must  be  less,  in  proportion  as  the  Rents  shall 
be  lowered,  yet  the  Money  will  have,  at  least,  all  the 
same  Effects,  apply  it  how  you  please. 

The  Spectator  N°  2oo,5  asserts,  That  if  the  Fruits 
of  the  Earth  could  be  increased  one  Tenth  above 
all  Possibility  of  Consumption,  it  would  reduce  the 
Price  of  them  half.  But  such  an  Increase  is  abso- 
lutely impossible,  the  World  having  never  yet,  I 
believe,  produced  an  Instance  of  it.  Besides  that 
the  Author  of  the  World  hath,  undoubtedly,  observed 
as  nice  and  ||  exact  a  Proportion  in  the  Wants  of 35 
Mankind,  and  what  the  Earth  will  produce  to  supply 
them,  as  he  hath  done  in  all  the  rest  of  his  Works; 
and  then  such  an  Excess,  as  I  said  before,  is  im- 
possible; and  this  I  shall  prove  hereafter. 

But  a  greater  Excess  than  this  is  become  a  Fact, 
as  to  the  Houses  within  the  Bills  of  Mortality *,||  36 

*  By  the  Bills  of  Mortality  of  the  Year  1730,  which  by  the  preceding 
and  succeeding  Years  appears  to  be  a  moderate  Year,  there  died  in  London 
and  Westminster  and  the  Suburbs  thereof, 

Years 


under   2  Years  old 

10368 

Persons;  the 

i  Year  makes 

10368 

Medium  of 

amongst  them 

between  2 

and  5 

2448 

which  Age  is 

si 

8568 

5 

10 
20 

10 
20 

30 

1092 
901 
2048 

13908  Under 
10  Years. 

7* 

15 
25 

8190 

I35I5 
5IIOO 

30 

40 

2471 

35 

86485 

40 

So 

2373 

45 

106785 

50 

60 

1713 

55 

94215 

60 

70 

1577 

65 

102505 

70 

80 

1601 

75 

75075 

So 

90 

622 

«5 

52870 

90 

100 

138 

95 

I3IIO 

2 

IOI 

202 

I 

102 

102 

2 

103 

206 

3 

104 

312 

I 

IOS 

IOS 

By  the  Number  of  Deaths  26761,  divide  the  Years  they  lived  623713, 
and  23  Years  and  about  i,  according  to  this  Bill  of  Mortality,  appears  to 
be  the  Par  Term  of  human  Life;  multiply  the  Deaths  by  this  Term,  shews 
the  Number  of  People  living  in  the  Bills  of  Mortality  to  be  about  624,423 
Persons;  and  if  we  suppose  the  Houses  one  with  another  to  contain  ro  Souls, 


42  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

and  will  certainly  be  attended  with  that  Conse- 
quence, of  reducing  the  Rents  one  half,  if  the  Method 
I  propose  be  not  applied  to  prevent  it.  And  if,  as 
he  reasons  in  another  Part  of  the  same  Spectator, 
the  Cities  of  London  and  Westminster  pay  a  Fifth 
of  the  whole  Revenue  of  the  Crown,  beside  the  Rent 
and  Taxes  they  enable  the  Country  to  pay;  what 
Care  ought  to  be  taken  to  make  Money  plentiful 
amongst  the  People  in  general,  which  alone  can 
make  Trade  flourish,  and  fill  the  Houses,  and  prevent 
so  great  and  certain  a  Diminution  as  the  Revenue 
must  suffer  in  all  Parts  of  the  Kingdom  for  want  of 
this  Care! 

But  I  am  sensible  the  great  Number  of  empty 
Houses  is  ascribed  to  the  Increase  of  Building  since 
the  Peace.  But  whoever  considers,  that  there  are 
not  less  then  6  or  700000  People  in  the  Bills  of 
Mortality;  and  that,  according  to  the  natural  Increase 
of  Mankind,  at  the  lowest  Computation  of  doubling 
in  360  Years,  the  Increase  will  be  near  40000  People 
3?since  that  Time*,  he  ||will  be  necessarily  obliged  to 

then  the  Number  of  Houses  inhabited  will  be  62,442.  Now  the  London 
Evening-Post  of  January  2,  1732-3,  says  upwards  of  8000  Houses,  accord- 
ing to  Account  lately  taken,  are  empty  in  London,  Westminster,  and 
Places  within  the  Bills  of  Mortality;  most  of  which,  let  at  an  Average  at 
about  20  /.  per  Annum;  at  which  Rate  there  is  upwards  of  160,000  /.  Rent 
yearly  lost  in  the  Bills  of  Mortality,  more  than  a  ninth  Part  of  the  whole 
Building  being  empty.  By  this  Bill  of  Mortality  it  also  appears,  that 
more  than  half  the  human  Race  die  under  10  Years  of  Age;  and  if  we 
consider  the  Number  of  young  Persons,  under  and  over  this  Age,  who  live  to 
supply  the  Places  of  those  that  die,  in  all  the  Stages  of  Life  above  this 
Term,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  Children  make  about  half  the  Business 
of  the  World  as  I  have  asserted.  And  tho'  it  appears  by  this  Bill  of  Mor- 
tality that  the  Term  of  Life,  on  the  Par,  is  about  49  Years,  excluding  all 
those  that  die  at  20  Years  and  under,  yet  I  can't  imagine  the  Term  Men 
have  to  raise  and  provide  for  Families  in  the  Marriage  State  doth  much 
exceed  20  Years,  since  it's  pretty  certain  Marriages  in  general  commence  a 
few  Years  at  least  later  than  the  Age  of  20  Years,  and  are  undoubtedly 
generally  dissolved  by  the  Death  of  one  of  the  Parties  before  they  both 
reach  the  Term  of  49  Years. 

*I  am  not  unsensible  that  Mr.  Derham  in  his  Physico- Theology*  shews 
that  the  Deaths  in  London  as  in  most  great  Cities  are  greater  than  the 
Births,  whence  an  Objection  may  seem  to  arise  to  the  Increase  above- 
mentioned,  which  I  think  is  of  no  Weight,  because  if  a  Nation  will  abso- 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  43 

ascribe  the  empty  Houses  to  other  Causes,  and  not 
to  the  Increase  of  Building  solely.  But  however 
since  they  are  built,  and  their  being  inhabited,  or 
standing  empty,  will  certainly  have  such  an  In- 
fluence on  the  Rents  of  the  Kingdom,  and  the  Re- 
venue likewise,  it  behoves  us  to  take  the  proper 
Methods  to  fill  them,  which  I  am  confident  will  soon 
be  effected  by  cultivating  Land  enough  to  make  a 
Plenty  of  Money  amongst  the  Trading  Part  of  the 
People  in  general,  but  not  otherwise. 

But  further,  if  the  People  increased,  as  Dr.  Nichols 
says  they  did,  so  as  to  double  themselves  in  London 
in  40  Years,  notwithstanding  the  last  great  Plague 
which  happened  within  the  Period  he  wrote  of;  and 
the  Country  increased,  tho'  not  in  the  like  yet  in  a 
considerable  Proportion  (and  I  hope  his  Authority 
is  sufficient  to  bear  me  out);  then  the  Building  since 
the  Peace,  which  hath  by  no  means  I  think  been  in 
proportion  to  one  Fourth  of  such  an  Increase  of 
People,  can't  be  the  Reason  to  which  the  vast  Num- 
ber of  empty  Houses  can  be  ascribed. 

But  the  empty  Houses  must  be  ascribed  to  such 
a  Diminution  of  Trade,  and  consequently  of  Cash 
amongst  the  People,  which  makes  it  so  difficult  for 
the  People  to  get  Money  to  support  them,  that 
many  are  become  incapable  to  pay  the  Rents,  and 
many  must  have  forsaken  us  on  this  Account. 
For  the  People  will  diminish,  ||  where  the  Means  of 38 
getting  a  Livelihood  is  not  well  to  be  attained,  suit- 
able to  their  several  Ranks  and  Stations;  which  is  a 
necessary  Consequent,  where  the  Balance  of  Trade 
becomes  considerably  against  any  Nation  (unless 
the  Means  I  contend  for  be  taken  to  prevent  it). 

lutely  double  themselves  in  about  360  Years,  notwithstanding  Wars  and 
Plagues,  Cities  must  do  so  too;  nay  it's  plain  by  what  Dr.  Nichols  says, 
London  increased  at  so  much  greater  Rate  as  to  double  itself  in  40  Years, 
notwithstanding  the  last  great  Plague  which  happened  in  that  Period. 


44  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

For  it's  evident,  such  a  Nation  hath  amongst  them 
just  so  much  Business  less  than  their  own  several 
Wants  create,  as  the  Amount  of  the  Ballance  against 
them  is,  which  lessening  their  Cash  at  the  same  time 
just  so  much  too,  brings  a  double  Inconvenience 
with  it,  viz.  Want  of  Money  and  Employment:  And 
if  Things  are  suffered  to  go  on  so,  the  People  must 
disperse  and  diminish.  And  therefore  this  Maxim, 
well  known  amongst  Merchants,  appears  well  found- 
ed, it  being  only  the  Reverse  of  what  is  shewn 
above,  That  the  People  always  increase  in  whose 
Favour  the  Balance  of  Trade  is  considerable;  as  it 
must  needs  have  been  in  ours,  in  that  Period  of  Time 
Dr.  Nichols  wrote  of;  since,  notwithstanding  so  great 
an  Increase  of  the  People,  the  Prices  of  every  thing, 
as  is  well  known,  rather  advanced  all  the  Time,  which 
they  could  not  have  done  if  the  Cash  of  the  Nation 
had  not  increased  in  yet  greater  Proportion  than  the 
People  increased;  as  I  think  the  Illustration  of  my 
fourth  Maxim  evinces. 

Hence  therefore  it  appears,  that  every  Nation 
ought  to  keep  Trade  on  such  a  Foot,  as  always,  on 
the  whole,  to  have  the  Balance  in  their  Favour:  For 
if  Mankind  double  themselves  only  in  360  Years, 
if  the  Cash  of  the  Nation  be  not  augmented  every 
Year  a  36oth  Part,  the  People  must  in  a  few  Years 
39  be  distressed  for  want  of  ||  Money,  unless  all  things 
be  made  at  least  so  much  cheaper  to  prevent  it. 
And  as  the  Means  of  doingthis  is  in  the  Power  of  every 
Nation,  that  have  waste  Land  enough  to  improve  to 
increase  their  Plenty*,  and  thereby  reduce  the  Price 

*  Doctor  John  Laurence ,  in  his  System  of  Agriculture,1  Page  45.  says, 
Without  all  Question,  Improvement  of  Lands,  of  what  Kind  soever,  makes 
Riches  and  Plenty,  and  Plenty  calls  together  Inhabitants,  and  People  to 
consume  it.  And,  Page  47,  he  says,  So  plain  is  it,  that  Inclosure  is  the 
greatest  Encouragement  to  good  Husbandry,  and  Remedy  for  Beggary, 
the  Poor  being  imployed  by  the  continual  Labour  bestowed  on  such  Land, 
which  it  doubly  repaid  by  the  fruitful  Crops  it  annually  yields. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  45 

of  Things;  so  the  improving  so  much  waste  Land  as 
answers  this  End,  will  furnish  Employment,  and 
consequently  a  Livelihood  for  the  People;  and  will 
always,  not  only  prevent  any  considerable  Number 
of  Houses  from  standing  long  empty,  but  will  con- 
tinually cause  more  to  be  added  all  over  the  King- 
dom; as  the  vast  Increase  Dr.  Nichols  asserts  there 
was,  particularly  in  London,  within  forty  Years,  be- 
sides the  great  Increase  in  the  Country  in  the  same 
Time,  doth  fully  shew. 

But  that  I  may  put  this  past  all  doubt,  let  it  only 
at  present  be  granted,  which  I  will  shew  hereafter, 
that  the  People  in  London  and  Westminster  were 
really  doubled  in  about  40  Years;  since  this,  nor 
any  thing  like  this,  could  be  the  Effect  of  the  natural 
Increase  of  Mankind  *,  it  must  have  some  other  most 
powerful  Cause:  This  Cause  I  assert  was  a  flourish- 
ing Trade;  which  I  thus  prove,  viz. 

The  People  were  doubled  in  this  Town,  and  ||  in- 40 
creased  too  in  the  Country,  though  not  in  the  like, 
yet  in  a  considerable  Proportion;  and  yet  the  Prices 
of  Necessaries,  and  all  other  Things  in  general,  were 
higher  than  those  Things  were  40  Years  before: 
Now  this,  by  my  fourth  Maxim,  was  absolutely  im- 
possible, if  the  Cash  of  the  Nation  had  not  been 
vastly  increased  also.  Wherefore,  as  we  have  no 
Mines,  the  Cash  could  be  increased  only  by  export- 
ing so  many  more  Goods  in  value  than  we  imported. 
And  as  this  is,  in  itself,  that  which  constitutes  a 
flourishing  Trade  in  any  Nation,  so  we  see  the 
Effect  was  the  doubling  the  People  in  London  as 
aforesaid;  wherefore  let  our  Trade  be  again  put  on 

*  Sir  William  Pettis  says,  that  a  Nation  will  double  their  Number  in 
200  Years;8  which  must  always  be  understood  thus,  that  it  must  be  exempt 
from  the  Ravage  of  War,  the  Destruction  of  Pestilence,  or  being  drained 
for  distant  Colonies. 


46  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

such  a  Foot,  that  we  may  be  able  to  raise  our  Pro- 
duce, and  Commodities  of  every  Kind,  as  cheap  as 
any  Nation  can  raise,  or  make  any  thing  whereby 
they  may  any  way  interfere  in  any  Branch  of  our 
Trade,  and  the  same  Effect  will  again  arise,  and 
consequently  not  only  fill  the  empty  Houses,  but 
cause  more  to  be  added,  as  I  said  above. 

And  as  it  hence  appears  absolutely  needful  to 
keep  Trade  on  a  Foot,  whereby  the  Balance  may 
always,  on  the  whole,  be  in  our  Favour;  so  it's 
certain,  the  Mines  which  are  continually  giving  Gold 
and  Silver,  do  give  sufficient  to  supply  such  a  need- 
ful Balance  to  every  Nation.  For  the  Gold  and 
Silver,  which  the  Mines,  since  the  Europeans  have 
possess'd  them,  have  furnished  Europe  in  general 
with,  have  not  only  furnished  Quantities  equal  to  the 
Increase  of  Mankind  since  that  Time,  but  so  much 
more  Gold  and  Silver,  as  to  inhance  the  Price  of  all 
41  Kinds  of  Commodities  in  Europe  in  general,  but  || 
especially  in  those  Nations  who  have,  either  directly 
or  indirectly,  had  the  most  considerable  Trade  with 
the  Countries  where  the  Mines  are;  and  this  in  all 
Probability  they  will  always  continue  to  do;  but  if 
not,  I  have  and  shall  shew  how  to  do  that  which  will 
be  always  equivalent. 

And  as  to  the  Countries,  which  are  thus  continually 
furnishing  this  Ballance  to  the  rest  of  the  World, 
they  having  the  Mines,  have  that  which  is  equivalent 
to  such  a  Balance  in  their  Favour. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  some  Observations  con- 
cerning Prohibitions  on  Trade,  and  also  concerning 
prohibiting  the  current  Coin  to  be  exported. 

It  was  before  observed,  that  it  is  reasonably  ex- 
pected, every  Man  should,  some  way  or  other, 
maintain  himself  and  Family  honestly;  and  that,  to 
this  End,  the  Affairs  of  the  World  must  be  so  wisely 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  47 

constituted  in  their  own  Nature,  as  to  furnish  suffi- 
cient Employment  for  every  Body;  since  any  con- 
siderable Defect  in  this  Respect  must  leave  some 
unimploy'd,  and  consequently  without  Maintenance: 
And  further,  that  there  is  no  Employment  in  the 
World,  but  what  the  People  mutually  cause  each 
other. 

These  Employments  arise  solely  out  of  the  several 
Wants,  &c.  of  Mankind,  which  constitute  all  the 
various  Trades,  Professions,  and  Occupations  of 
Men;  to  which  I  will  add,  and  hereafter  prove,  that 
these  are  so  wisely  proportioned,  as  fully  to  employ 
all  that  need  or  will  be  employed;  and  therefore 
these  are  the  natural  Foundations  of  all  Commerce 
amongst  Mankind  ||  and  sufficient  to  subsist  theni42 
all,  if  not  obstructed  by  any  Means. 

All  Nations  of  the  World,  therefore,  should  be 
regarded  as  one  Body  of  Tradesmen,  exercising 
their  various  Occupations  for  the  mutual  Benefit 
and  Advantage  of  each  other. 

A  very  considerable  Part  of  these  Employments 
relate  to  maritime  Affairs  and  Commerce,  by  trans- 
porting the  Commodities  of  the  several  Nations 
from  one  Nation  to  another. 

This  makes  Ships  needful,  which,  considering  all 
things  that  any  way  relate  to  them,  furnish  Employ- 
ment for  a  prodigious  Part  of  Mankind;  besides  the 
inland  Carriage  of  the  Goods  which  the  Ships  are 
loaded  with,  and  the  Merchants,  and  Writers,  and 
all  the  Trades  that  depend  on  them;  which  must 
needs  enable  every  Nation  to  support  a  prodigious 
Number  of  Inhabitants,  more  than  the  same  Terri- 
tory could  support,  if  there  were  not  this  Commerce 
between  the  several  Nations  to  employ  the  People. 

Now  since  Mankind  never  complained  of  having 
too  much  Trade,  but  many  do  really  want  Business 


48  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

sufficient  to  get  a  Livelihood,  Prohibitions  do,  in  the 
very  Nature  of  them,  cut  off  so  much  Employment 
from  the  People,  as  there  would  be  more,  if  there 
were  no  such  Prohibitions.  And  though  this  will,  I 
think,  chiefly  affect  the  Nations  who  prohibit  the 
Exportation  of  their  own  Commodities,  because 
other  Nations  will  either  raise  those  Things  them- 
selves, or  substitute  something  else  of  their  own,  if 
they  can't  get  the  same  Things  from  other  Nations, 
43  which  I  believe  one  way  or  other  they  ||  almost  always 
may;  yet  hence  'tis  evident,  such  Prohibitions  lessen 
the  Number  of  Merchants  and  Ships,  with  all  their 
Appendages,  so  far  as  such  Prohibitions  can  affect 
them;  which  undoubtedly  must  cut  off  a  Livelihood 
from  abundance  of  People,  who  therefore  must  be 
obliged  to  seek  their  Livelihood  in  domestick  Affairs; 
which  being  not  sufficient  to  subsist  so  many  People, 
upon  the  same  Territory,  without  proportionable 
maritime  Trade,  must  bring  great  Inconvenience  on 
such  a  Nation,  for  want  of  so  much  of  this  Branch  of 
Employment  for  the  People. 

And  as  other  Nations,  for  want  of  looking  thor- 
oughly into  the  Foundation  of  the  Trade  of  the 
World,  will  certainly  make  Reprisals  by  Prohibi- 
tions*, as  we  know  they  actually  do,  the  Calamity 
of  every  Nation,  that  is  no  wiser,  will  increase;  since 
they  cut  off  so  much  Trade  and  Employment  from 
Mankind,  as  these  mutual  Prohibitions  can  affect. 

But  no  Inconvenience  can  arise  by  an  unrestrained 
Trade,  but  very  great  Advantage;  since  if  the  Cash 
of  the  Nation  be  decreased  by  it,  which  Prohibitions 
are  designed  to  prevent,  those  Nations  that  get  the 
Cash  will  certainly  find  every  thing  advance  in  Price, 

*Eras.  Phillips,  Esq;  in  his  State  of  the  Nation,9  &c,  Page  13,  says 
very  truly,  High  Duties  and  Prohibitions  on  our  Side  beget  high  Duties 
and  Prohibitions  on  theirs. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  49 

as  the  Cash  increases  amongst  them.  And  if  we, 
who  part  with  the  Money,  make  our  Plenty  great 
enough  to  make  Labour  sufficiently  cheap,  which  is 
always  constituted  of  the  Price  of  Victuals  and 
Drink,  our  Manufactures,  and  every  ||  thing  else,  will 44 
soon  become  so  moderate  as  to  turn  the  Balance  of 
Trade  in  our  Favour,  and  thereby  fetch  the  Money 
back  again.  Thus  Money,  on  which  Trade  floats, 
like  a  Tide,  by  ebbing  and  flowing,  will  bring  vast 
Business  to  our  People,  and  furnish  them  with  Em- 
ployment and  Happiness.  But  all  this  doth  abso- 
lutely depend  on  cultivating  such  large  Tracts  of 
Land,  as  will  make  the  Plenty  great  enough  to  re- 
duce the  Price  of  Labour,  and  all  other  Things  in 
consequence  thereof,  so  as  to  enable  us  to  trade  on 
Terms  as  reasonable  as  any  other  Nation;  without 
which  we  must  shut  ourselves  in  a  great  Measure 
out  of  the  foreign  Trade  of  the  World;  as  Merchants 
very  well  know,  and  every  body  will  easily  believe; 
since  they  that  can  work  cheapest,  must  and  will 
have  the  Trade. 

But  those  who  prohibit  the  Exportation  of  the 
rough  Principles  of  their  Manufactures,  are  willing 
to  have  them  exported  when  wrought  up,  and  fully 
manufactured.  Now  beside  that  they  must  expect 
Reprisals  to  be  made  by  other  Nations,  who  will 
shift  as  much  as  they  can  without  such  Goods,  for 
the  sake,  as  they  all  seem  to  imagine,  of  employing 
their  own  People,  not  considering  how  much  such 
shrinking  and  contracting  their  Trade  within  them- 
selves, cuts  off  the  more  valuable  maritime  Trade 
and  Employment,  which  all  should  strive  to  promote 
and  enlarge,  not  only  for  the  Reason  I  gave  before, 
but  because  such  Nations  will  always  be  the  richest 
and  most  powerful  (in  respect  to  the  Bigness  of 
their  Territory)  who  have  the  most  maritime  Trade, 


50  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

whether  the  Quantity  of  Cash  amongst  the  People 
be  as  great  as  any  other  Nation  or  not;  beside  all 

45  this,  I  ||  say,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  consider,  what 
a  vast  Value  must  be  risqued  at  Sea,  when  Things 
are  fully  manufactured,  to  what  would  be  risqued  in 
their  rough  Principles;  and  what  a  Tendency  the 
vast  Value  of  Goods,  fully  manufactured,  hath  to 
make  the  Balance  of  Trade  fluctuate,  so  as  to  hazard 
very  great  Quantities   of  Gold  and   Silver,   much 
oftener  at  Sea,  to  make  the   Balance,  than  there 
otherwise  would  be  Occasion  for:  And  after  all,  how 
difficult  is  it,  sufficiently  to  prevent  the  Exportation 
or  Importation  of  any  thing,  which  those  who  want 
it  will  be  at  the  Charge  to  get;  and  what  a  Damage 
do  a  great  many  honest  People  sustain,  by  the  un- 
avoidable   Inconveniencies   attending   Prohibitions 
and  high  Duties,  besides  the  Iniquity  they  too  often 
occasion!    But  let  us  a  little  consider,  whether  a  free 
and  unrestrained  Trade  hath  any  Inconveniencies, 
we  ought  to  guard  against*.    I  will  not  contend  for 
it,  with  respect  to  France,  though  I  can't  see  it  could 
do  us  any  Harm,  even  in  that  Case,  if  we  were 
prudent  enough  to  prevent  the  Inconvenience,  by 
employing  more  Land  as  our  Cash  decreases,  there- 
by to  employ  the  People,  and  lower  the  Price  of 
Things  still  so  much,  that  whatever  Cash  remains 
amongst  us,  it  may  however  be  so  plentiful  as  to 
circulate  Trade  to  the  utmost,  and  so  make  the 
People  in  general  happy,  notwithstanding  its  De- 
crease.   For  I  am  sensible  that  as  France  can  work 

46  vastly  cheaper,  because  ||  they  can  live  for  a  great 
deal  less  than  we  can  do,  so  they  can  make  most  of 

*  Eras.  Phillips,  Esq;  Page  14.  gloriously  says,  A  trading  Nation  should 
be  an  open  Ware  house,  where  the  Merchant  may  buy  what  he  pleases, 
or  sell  what  he  can.  Whatever  is  brought  to  you,  if  you  don't  want  it, 
you  won't  purchase  it;  if  you  do  want  it,  the  Largeness  of  the  Impost 
don't  keep  it  from  you. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  51 

the  Manufactures  we  make,  as  well  as  we  can;  and 
therefore  if  we  were  to  open  Trade  with  them,  they 
would  bring  us  all  sorts  of  Goods  so  cheap,  that  our 
Manufactures  would  be  at  an  End,  till  the  Money 
they  would  by  this  Means  get  of  us  rais'd  the  Prices 
of  their  Things  so  much,  and  our  Want  of  Money 
should  fall  ours  to  such  a  Degree,  that  we  could  go 
on  with  our  Manufactures  as  cheap  as  they;  and 
then  Trade  would  stand  between  that  Nation  and 
us,  as  it  doth  between  us  and  other  Nations  who 
mutually  take  Goods  of  each  other;  and  I  think  this 
would  enlarge  the  maritime  Trade  of  both  Nations, 
together  with  all  the  Trades  relating  thereto  (i.  e. 
would  furnish  still  further  Means  of  employing 
abundance  of  People  of  both  Nations  this  Way); 
and  at  last,  this  will  terminate  in  the  particular  Ad- 
vantages each  Nation  naturally  hath  in  the  Produce 
of  their  respective  Countries:  And  if  any  Nation  is 
blest  in  this  respect  more  than  another,  the  Differ- 
ence this  will  make,  will  be  only  that  of  having  more 
Money  amongst  them,  than  such  other  Nations  have 
in  proportion  to  the  Number  of  their  People,  and 
the  Prices  of  Things  in  each  Nation  will  be  dearer 
and  cheaper  respectively;  yet  if  they  should  go  to 
make  any  other  Advantage  of  this,  to  restrain,  and 
so  increase  the  Money  amongst  them,  this  would 
soon  prove  to  their  Hurt,  because  as  their  Goods 
will  certainly  rise  as  their  Cash  increases,  so  this 
will  make  the  Opportunity  greater  for  other  Nations, 
who  will  from  hence  be  able  to  outdo  them  in  Cheap- 
ness, to  drive  them  out  of  ||  their  Trade  at  other4? 
foreign  Markets,  and  probably,  notwithstanding  all 
they  can  do  to  prevent  it,  such  cheap  Commodities 
will  find  the  Way  to  them  likewise. 

But  we  must  consider  our  Trade,  with  respect  to 
all  other  Nations,  as  well  as  France.   Suppose,  there- 


52  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

fore,  that  such  an  unrestrained  Trade  with  France,  or 
any  other  Nation,  should  diminish  our  Cash  so  very 
considerably,  that  we  could  not  give  above  half  the 
Price  for  Things  in  general  as  we  at  present  do:  if 
we  take  care  to  keep  our  Trade  alive,  by  employing 
the  People  in  cultivating  more  Lands,  that  our  Pro- 
duce and  Manufactures  may  be  cheap  enough  to 
carry  on  Trade  with  such  Nations,  it  must  needs 
enlarge  our  Trade  mightily  with  those  Nations, 
whose  Cash  keeps  their  Prices  of  Things  near  to, 
or  above  the  Rates  ours  are  now  at;  insomuch  that 
I  think  we  must  needs  have  the  Balance  on  all  such 
Nations,  so  much  as  to  prevent  any  considerable 
Mischief  arising  to  us,  whilst  our  Trade  is  taking 
such  a  Turn  as  an  open  Trade  with  those  Nations, 
who  can  work  so  much  cheaper,  might  occasion. 

But  lest  any  should  think  my  laying  such  Stress 
on  cultivating  so  much  Land  is  any  way  extravagant, 
I  would  desire  them  to  consider,  that  this  also  will 
find  its  natural  Bounds;  for  the  cultivating  Land  will 
stop  of  itself,  when  the  Plenty  becomes  too  great  to 
answer  and  turn  to  Account;  which  can  only  arise 
from  too  high  "Rents,  or  employing  too  many  of 
the  People  this  Way;  of  which  last  I  apprehend 
there  never  can  be  any  Danger,  as  I  will  shew  here- 
after. But  if  this  could  be,  since  the  People  make 
48  a  ||  Shift  to  live  now,  there  is  an  evident  Necessity 
to  cultivate  a  great  deal  more  Land  to  employ  them, 
and  thereby  to  make  Money  plentiful,  and  Trade  to 
flourish.  How  profitable  and  advantageous  would 
all  other  Trades,  &c.  become,  by  being  thus  in  fewer 
Hands  than  they  would  require*;  to  which  the  great 
Plenty  and  Cheapness  of  Necessaries,  which  is  ulti- 
mately what  all  work  for,  would  so  mightily  contri- 

*This  will  in  the  Course  of  this  Essay  appear  to  be  a  necessary  Conse- 
quence in  this  Case. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  53 

bute,  that  the  People  would  naturally  fall  into  them, 
and  so  hold  that  Proportion  in  all  Trades,  Manu- 
factures, and  Professions,  as  well  as  Cultivation  of 
Land,  that  the  Nature  of  Things  themselves  would 
plainly  and  sufficiently  point  out!  And  the  Rise  of 
Rents  of  late  Years,  which  like  all  other  Things 
could  only  rise  from  the  extraordinary  Demand  for 
Lands,  is  a  Demonstration  that  all  Things  would 
certainly  thus  work  of  themselves,  just  as  they  should 
do,  and  as  the  Author  of  Nature  designed,  if  the 
People  could  have  had  more  Land,  instead  of  rais- 
ing the  Rents,  as  they  wanted  it;  for  this  is  really 
that  Course  of  Providence,  which  is  established  in 
the  Nature  of  Things,  for  the  Provision  and  Happi- 
ness of  Mankind. 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  shew  that  the  prohibiting 
the  current  Coin  to  be  exported  is  certain  Loss  to 
the  Nation.  For  we  can  have  no  Occasion  to  send 
Money,  or  Bullion,  or  foreign  Coin  to  any  Nation, 
unless  we  receive  more  Goods  in  Value  from  them 
than  they  have  from  us;  in  which  Case  they  must 
have  our  Money  or  Bullion,  or  foreign  Coin,  sent 
them,  or  we  must  cease  to  trade  ||  with  them,  which 49 
I  think  is  impossible.  Now  if  I  must  buy  Bullion  or 
foreign  Coin,  because  the  Exportation  of  our  Coin 
is  prohibited,  it's  certain  that  the  Seller  of  Bullion 
or  foreign  Coin  must  and  will  have  a  Profit;  that  is, 
I  must  give  more  in  Coin  for  less  in  Bullion  or 
foreign  Coin,  which  when  my  Correspondent  re- 
ceives, he  will  value  it  just  as  if  it  were  our  own 
Coin  of  like  Weight  and  Fineness:  Wherefore  if  the 
Demand  continues  here  for  Bullion  or  foreign  Coin, 
to  pay  the  Balance  of  Trade  to  any  Nation,  he  will 
send  it  back  to  this  Market,  where  it  must  and  will 
in  this  Case  fetch  more,  by  all  Charges  of  Freight, 
and  Risque  of  the  Sea,  and  Postage  of  Letters,  and 


54  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Commission,  and  some  Profit  to  himself;  unless  our 
Coin  be  melted  to  save  this  Loss.  Now  suppose 
all  this  should  make  but  2  per  Cent,  it's  evident  that 
in  50  Returns  of  the  Bullion  of  foreign  Coin,  we 
must  have  paid  a  whole  Capital  more  than  if  we 
were  admitted  freely  to  send  our  own  current  Money, 
where  the  Balance  of  Trade  requires  it.  And  this 
must  cause  our  current  Money  to  be  melted  both  at 
home  and  abroad,  since  it  will  thus  be  worth  2  per 
Cent  more  than  it  is  in  Coin;  and  the  more  the 
Ballance  of  Trade  lies  against  us  with  any  particular 
Nation,  so  much  the  quicker  will  these  disadvan- 
tageous Returns  be  made,  and  our  Specie  undoubt- 
edly be  so  much  the  faster  melted.  But  if  we  let  our 
current  Coin  come  and  go  freely,  Bullion  or  foreign 
Coin  will  not  be  worth  so  much  as  our  Coin,  because 
its  Fineness  and  Value  cannot  be  so  easily  and  uni- 
versally known;  and  therefore  if  the  Balance  of  Trade 
50 be  in  our  ||  Favour,  that  is,  brings  us  Gold  and  Silver, 
it  must  and  will  go  to  the  Mint  to  be  coined,  to 
ascertain  its  Fineness  and  Value,  provided  the 
Government  not  only  coin  it  at  their  own  Charge, 
but  immediately  deliver  as  many  Ounces  of  Coin  as 
they  receive  of  foreign  Gold  and  Silver;  for  it's  no 
less  absurd  for  the  Government  to  fix  the  Price  they 
will  give  for  Gold  and  Silver  brought  to  be  coined, 
than  it  would  be  to  make  a  Law  to  fix  and  ascertain 
the  Prices  of  every  other  Commodity. 

And  it's  further  certain,  that  as  the  Balance  of 
Trade  is  a  fluctuating  Thing,  if  our  Money  be  suffered 
to  go  and  come  freely  as  the  Balance  of  Trade  may 
require,  (and  otherwise  it  neither  can  go  nor  come) 
as  Bullion  will  then  certainly  be  of  somewhat  less 
Value  than  Coin,  the  People  in  foreign  Nations  will 
buy  up  what  Money  of  ours  they  can  easily  find, 
because  it  will  hardly  be  of  so  much  Value  amongst 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  55 

them  as  their  own,  and  they  can  pay  more  with  it  in 
the  Nation  it  properly  belongs  to  than  with  Bullion 
or  their  own  Coin;  and  this  will  certainly  in  a  great 
Measure  prevent  the  melting  our  Money  at  home, 
and  in  foreign  Nations,  and  consequently  will  save 
the  Trouble  and  Charge  of  coining  a  great  deal  of 
Money,  and  bring  a  great  deal  of  our  Money  back 
from  those  Nations  where  the  Balance  of  Trade  had 
before  carried  it,  provided  our  Trade  stands  on 
such  a  Foot  with  those  Nations,  that  the  Balance  be 
in  our  Favour:  And  I  have  shewn  how  it  may  cer- 
tainly be  made  so,  viz.  by  making  our  Produce  and 
Manufactures  so  plentiful,  and  thereby  (which  is  in- 
separable) so  cheap  and  good,  as  to  cause  ||  foreign  51 
Nations  to  take  abundance  more  of  them;  which 
Plenty  and  Cheapness  of  our  Produce  and  Manu- 
factures will  prevent  the  Importation  of  abundance 
of  foreign  Commodities;  and  thus  the  Balance  will 
be  in  our  Favour,  and  that  Balance  must  be  paid  us 
in  Money:  By  this  Means  only  it  is  we  have  any 
Gold  and  Silver,  i.e.  Money  amongst  us;  nor  is  there 
any  other  in  Nature,  for  any  Nation  that  hath  not 
Mines:  Wherefore  this  deserves  the  utmost  Regard 
of  every  Trading  Nation,  not  only  for  the  Sake  of 
the  Money  they  will  thus  get,  but  to  make  their 
Trade  flourish,  and  their  People  happy,  and  their 
Government  powerful;  for  without  this,  Trade  must 
languish,  the  People  become  poor,  which  will  make 
the  Taxes  an  insupportable  Burthen,  and  conse- 
quently make  the  Government  weak. 

I  think  this  the  more  concerns  us,  because  For- 
eigners are  interested  in  our  publick  Securities  and 
Funds  for  vast  Sums;  for,  low  as  we  think  the  In- 
terest of  Money  to  be  now,  we  give  better  Interest 
than  they  can  make  at  home;  and  our  Parliamentary 
Securities  having  been  always  maintained  inviolably, 


56  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

give  every  body  the  utmost  Confidence  in  them.  As 
therefore  all  Commodities  (and  Money  is  no  other) 
ever  did,  and  ever  will  find  the  highest  Market,  so 
this  is  the  Cause  why  Foreigners  deposit  their 
Money  in  our  Funds;  and  as  they  thereby  draw  home 
the  Interest,  they  contribute  so  much  to  the  decreas- 
ing the  Cash  of  the  Nation. 

Another  thing,  which  still  enforceth  the  Argument 
to  permit  our  current  Coin  to  go  and  come  freely, 
52  as  the  Balance  of  Trade  may  re  ||  quire,  is,  that  if 
we  have  the  Balance  of  Trade  in  our  Favour,  on  any 
Nation  who  hath  the  Balance  in  their  Favour  on 
another  which  hath  the  Ballance  on  us,  such  Nations 
will  probably  transmit  our  Money  to  the  Nation  that 
has  the  Balance  on  them;  because  if  they  send  their 
own  current  Coin,  it  will  be  as  much  foreign  Coin  to 
the  Nation  it's  sent  to,  as  our  Coin  can  be;  and  there- 
fore, as  I  said,  if  we  have  the  Balance  on  any  Nation 
which  receives  our  Money,  it  will  come  back  again 
to  us,  because  it  will  pay  more  and  be  readier,  than 
if  they  sent  us  Bullion  or  their  own  current  Specie; 
and  thus  will  it  save  our  Money  from  being  melted 
abroad  as  well  as  at  home;  which  I  think  a  strength- 
ening Argument  for  permiting  our  Specie  to  go  and 
come  freely  where  the  Balance  of  Trade  shall  carry  it. 

In  the  Beginning  of  this  Essay,  it  was  laid  down 
as  a  Maxim,  That  Gold  and  Silver  (i.  e.  Money)  will 
be  plentiest  where  the  Mines  are:  Now  since  I  am 
treating  of  prohibiting  our  current  Coin  to  be  ex- 
ported, let  it  be  supposed,  that  the  People  possess'd 
of  the  Mines  could  furnish  themselves  with  the  Ne- 
cessaries and  Pleasures  of  Life  by  the  Produce  of 
their  own  Country,  and  therefore  should  think  fit  to 
prohibit  the  Exportation  of  Gold  and  Silver,  and 
should  thereby  be  effectually  able  to  prevent  the 
Exportation  thereof;  which  is  undoubtedly  impos- 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  57 

sible:  I  say,  if  we  suppose  such  Nations  to  prohibit 
the  Exportation  of  Gold  and  Silver,  and  at  the  same 
time  continue  to  work  those  Mines,  so  that  they  are 
continually  giving  more  and  more  Gold  and  Silver, 
how  great  must  the  ||  Increase  of  those  Commodities  si 
soon  become !  And  since  Gold  and  Silver  are  of 
little  Use,  besides  procuring  the  Necessaries  and 
Conveniencies  of  Life,  which  alone  are  real  Riches, 
and  for  which  Gold  and  Silver  are  now  universally 
exchanged;  would  not  the  great  Plenty  of  these 
Commodities,  thus  continually  increasing,  cause 
proportionably  so  much  more  Gold  and  Silver  (with 
which  they  would  at  length  be  incumbered)  to  be 
given  for  the  more  necessary  Produce  and  Fruits 
of  the  Earth  ?  And  would  not  this  so  depress  the 
Value  of  Gold  and  Silver,  by  their  Plenty  amongst 
them,  as  to  give  ample  Opportunity  and  Encourage- 
ment to  all  theWorld  to  go  to  this  Market  with  their 
Produce  and  Manufactures,  which  they  can  and  will 
sell  for  a  vast  deal  less  Gold  and  Silver,  than  what 
such  Goods  of  their  own  raising  would  in  this  Case 
be  sold  for  ?  Nay,  they  would  find  it  a  Convenience 
to  be  eased  of  the  Burthen  of  Gold  and  Silver,  which 
the  Mines,  if  continually  worked,  would  be  giving, 
as  certainly  as  it's  a  Relief  to  any  Country  to  part 
with  any  Commodity  they  too  much  abound  in:  For 
if  they  do  not  cease  to  work  the  Mines,  when  they 
have  raised  Gold  and  Silver  enough  to  be  burthen- 
some,  they  must  and  will  certainly  drop  their  Culti- 
vation and  Manufactures;  since  Men  will  not  easily 
be  induced  to  labour  and  toil,  for  what  they  can  get 
with  much  less  Trouble,  by  exchanging  some  of  the 
Excess  of  their  Gold  and  Silver  for  what  they  want. 
And  if  they  should  be  supposed,  as  is  natural  enough 
in  this  Case,  to  drop  their  Cultivation  and  Manu- 
factures, which  are  much  the  slowest  and  most  la- 1|  54 


58  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

borious  Way  of  supplying  themselves  with  what  they 
could  so  easily  and  readily  procure  by  exchanging 
Gold  and  Silver,  which  they  too  much  abound  in, 
they  would  certainly,  in  a  great  Measure,  by  so  do- 
ing lose  the  Arts  of  Cultivation,  and  especially  of 
Manufactures;  as  it's  thought  Spain  hath  done, 
merely  by  the  Accession  of  the  Wealth  which  the 
West-Indies  have  produced  them;  whence  they  are 
become  a  poor  Nation,  and  the  Conduit-Pipes  to 
disperse  the  Gold  and  Silver  over  the  World,  which 
other  Nations,  by  making  Goods  cheaper  than  they 
can  do,  are  fetching  from  them,  to  such  a  Degree, 
as  that  the  Mines  are  scarcely  sufficient  to  answer 
their  Occasions;  and  though  they  are  sensible  of  this, 
yet  they  find  by  Experience  they  can't  prevent  it. 

The  Case  is  the  very  same,  in  some  Degree,  in 
every  Nation,  whose  Quantity  of  real  or  artificial 
Cash  is  large  enough  to  support  the  Prices  of  their 
Goods,  considerably  above  the  Rates  such  Goods 
bear  in  other  Nations  round  about  them.  Whence 
it's  obvious,  all  Prohibitions  must  in  the  Issue  be  in- 
jurious to  Trade,  because  beside  all  other  Mischiefs 
they  occasion,  they  are  always  designed  to  restrain 
the  Money  from  going  out  of  the  Nation. 

Yet  I  must  own,  I  am  entirely  for  preventing  the 
Importation  of  all  foreign  Commodities,  as  much  as 
possible;  but  not  by  Acts  of  Parliament,  which  never 
can  do  any  good  to  Trade;  but  by  raising  such 
Goods  ourselves,  so  cheap  as  to  make  it  impossible 
for  other  Nations  to  find  their  Account  in  bringing 
them  to  us:  And  as  this  is  the  only  natural  and 
55  effectual  Prohibition  of  ||  such  Things  as  we  would 
not  receive  from  abroad,  so  I  wish  every  Nation  in 
the  World  would  do  this  as  much  as  ever  they  can; 
for  then  the  Plenty  of  every  thing  would  be  so  great, 
that  all  Mankind  would  be  happy,  if  this  World  is 
capable  of  making  them  so. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  59 

I  shall  now  proceed  to  some  Observations  upon 
the  whole. 

First,  That  it  is  of  no  Consequence,  whether  any 
Nation  hath  a  vast  deal  of  Gold  and  Silver,  or  but 
very  little  Money  amongst  them,  if  sufficient  Care 
be  taken  to  make  the  Plenty  of  every  thing  great 
enough,  to  make  the  Money  they  have,  amply  ex- 
tend to  circulate  their  Trade  in  every  Branch,  so  as 
fully  to  employ  and  support  all  their  People;  which 
must  and  will  make  them  all  happy,  and  certainly 
cause  them  to  have  vastly  more  foreign  Trade,  by 
their  thus  being  able  to  make  and  sell  their  Manu- 
factures and  Produce  at  lower  Rates  than  their 
Neighbour  Nations  can  do.  And  this  is  absolutely  in 
the  Power  of  every  Nation,  that  will  cultivate  Land 
enough  to  effect  it;  unless  any  Nation  should  have 
more  People  in  it  than  they  have  Land  to  support 
them;  which  may  easily  be  known  from  the  Demand 
there  will  be  for  Land,  and  raising  the  Rents  in 
Consequence  thereof,  till  the  Prices  of  Necessaries 
become  so  dear,  that  the  Wages  of  the  labouring 
People  will  not  purchase  what  is  needful  for  the 
Support  of  their  Families,  and  there  be  no  more 
Land  left  to  cultivate,  and  remove  this  Mischief, 
which  will  fall  more  or  less  on  every  Occupation, 
in  Proportion  as  the  Poor  become  thereby  distressed. 
In  this  Case,  there  is  no  Relief  but  transporting  the 
People  where  they  can  have  Land  enough  for  them. ||  56 

Secondly,  It's  of  little  or  no  Consequence  to  the 
Trade  of  any  Nation,  whether  the  People  spend  near 
or  all  their  Gains,  provided  they  do  not  spend  more 
than  they  really  gain;  for  this  disables  them  to  make 
good  their  mutual  Contracts  and  Bargains;  or 
whether  they  are  generally  frugal,  and  lay  up  con- 
siderably. For  the  Trade  of  a  Nation  doth  very  little 
depend  on  these  Things,  but  intirely  on  employing 


60  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

the  People  in  Cultivation  of  Land,  in  that  Proportion 
to  the  other  Employments  of  Mankind,  that  the 
Necessaries  of  Life,  which  all  ultimately  work  for, 
may  be  so  plentiful,  that  the  meanest  of  the  People 
may  easily  attain  a  Sufficiency  of  them;  for  Plenty 
of  these  comprehends  all  human  Felicity,  not  ex- 
cepting Peace  itself.  For  why  should  we  differ,  or 
go  to  War;  or  how  can  we  ask  Heaven  to  succeed 
our  Arms  against  our  Neighbours,  when  we  have 
enough  of  what  we  want  amongst  ourselves,  and 
can  sell  our  Produce,  and  make  our  Goods  so  cheap, 
as  almost  to  lay  them  under  a  Necessity  to  buy 
them  of  us  ?  And  this  is  the  best  Condition  our 
Trade  with  foreign  Nations  can  ever  have,  and  will 
render  all  other  Stipulations  and  Treaties  about  our 
Trade,  almost,  if  not  altogether  unnecessary.  So 
that  we  may  very  well  maintain  Peace  with  all  the 
World,  if  they  do  not  mediately  or  immediately 
attack  or  make  Depredations  upon  us;  in  which  Case 
alone  I  apprehend  it  can  be  justifiable  to  suffer  so 
many  People  to  be  cut  off,  as  War  necessarily  de- 
stroys on  both  Sides.  And  if  every  Nation  would 
pursue  these  Things,  each  would  be  so  far  from  in- 
juring another,  that  every  one  would  contribute  to 
65  the  Happiness  of  the  whole.  || 

And  since  I  have  asserted  the  Connection  of 
Plenty  and  Peace  to  be  such,  that  they  may  always 
be  maintained  together,  and  support  each  other,  I 
shall  shew  how  to  avoid  a  War,  in  all  Cases,  except 
that  of  one  Nation's  making  Depredations  on  the 
Goods  or  Territories  of  another;  in  which  Case,  the 
Aggressors  so  kindling  War  are  the  greatest 
Plagues  and  Murderers  of  Mankind,  with  whose 
Calamities  they  are  justly  chargeable. 

I  would  by  no  Means  have  any  Nation  tamely,  or 
easily  give  up  the  minutest  Advantage  in  Trade 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  61 

they  justly  possess;  and  whoever  will  force  such 
Advantages  from  them,  invades  their  just  Rights 
and  Properties,  and  may  therefore  undoubtedly  be 
repell'd  by  Force  of  Arms. 

Yet  we  should  not  easily  be  drawn  into  a  War, 
it  being  one  of  the  greatest  Calamities  to  which 
Mankind  can  be  subjected;  the  End  of  which  none 
can  well  foresee,  and  the  Burthens  of  which  (i.  e. 
publick  Debts  and  Taxes)  are  seldom  discharged 
in  one  Generation,  tho'  a  Peace  of  so  long  Duration 
should  happen  to  ensue;  not  to  insist  on  the  prodig- 
ious Devastations  War  often  makes,  and  the  tribut- 
tary  State  Nations  are  sometimes  brought  under  by 
it:  On  this  Account,  I  say,  we  should  not  easily  be 
drawn  into  a  War,  but  rather  give  up  an  important 
Point  of  Trade,  if  it  can't  be  preserved  without  a 
War,  the  Success  and  Duration  of  which  we  find 
ourselves  not  able  to  determine  when  we  engage 
in  it. 

For  why  do  Nations  contend  about  Points  of 
Trade  ?  Is  it  not  solely  for  the  Sake  of  the  Money 
they  shall  get  by  it  ?  ||  66 

Now  if  this  be  a  true  Principle,  that  the  Price  of 
the  Produce  and  Manufactures  of  every  Nation  will 
advance,  as  the  Cash  amongst  the  People  increaseth; 
if  we,  to  avoid  a  War,  prudently  give  up  a  Point  of 
Trade  which  augmented  our  Money,  we  must  then 
for  want  of  such  Point  of  Trade,  and  that  Money, 
make  every  thing  so  much  cheaper  at  home,  by  the 
Means  I  have  shewn,  as  that  we  may  be  able  to  go 
with  our  Produce  and  Manufactures,  still  so  much 
cheaper  than  before,  to  those  Nations  whose 
Markets  will  now  be  considerably  advanced  by  the 
Money  they  get  by  the  Points  of  Trade  we  parted 
with  to  them.  Now  if  our  Produce,  <5r.  be  made 
cheap  enough,  as  I  have  shewn  they  certainly  may 
they  will  force  themselves  on  them,  and  find  so  much 


62  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

more  Vend  at  such  Markets,  as  to  supply  them  even 
with  what  before  they  either  raised  themselves,  or 
had  from  other  Nations,  and  at  the  same  time 
prevent  them  from  sending  many  of  their  Goods  to 
our  Markets,  where  all  Things  being  thus  made 
plenty,  and  consequently  good,  will  be  too  cheap  to 
admit  the  much  dearer  Commodities  of  other  Na- 
tions. And  thus  we  may  have  the  Balance  on  any 
such  Nation,  and  bring  home  the  Money  thro'  their 
Canal,  even  though  we  give  up  such  considerable 
Points  of  Trade,  by  which  they  first  get  the  Money 
we  should  otherwise  have  had. 

And  if  there  really  be  this  Way,  as  there  undoubt- 
edly is,  for  every  Nation,  that  will  be  so  prudent 
sufficiently  to  pursue  it,  to  preserve  Peace,  and  ex- 
tend their  Trade,  and  avoid  War;  how  absurd  as 
67  well  as  wicked  is  it  to  go  to  War  ||  about  Trade, 
which  we  hence  see  may  be  more  effectually  pro- 
moted by  the  Arts  of  Peace!  And  this  I  think  is  a 
wise  Disposition  of  Providence,  shewing  how  Man- 
kind may  maintain  Commerce  and  Peace  over  the 
Face  of  the  whole  Earth,  without  interrupting  the 
one,  or  breaking  the  other. 

Thirdly,  The  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this 
Proposal,  is  the  only  natural  Means  to  prevent  the 
clandestine  Exportation  of  our  Wool;  for  it's  evident, 
since  there  are  the  best  Laws  and  severest  Penalties, 
that  could  well  be  devised,  already  made  to  prevent 
the  running  our  Wool,  whoever  will  have  it  must 
wade  through  all  the  Difficulties  and  Impediments 
that  lie  in  their  Way;  which  can't  possibly  be  done 
without  very  great  Charges,  and  sometimes  losing 
the  Wool  they  are  endeavouring  to  run;  whence  our 
Wool  must  needs  come  vastly  dearer  to  those  Na- 
tions that  so  fetch  it  from  us,  than  what  the  same 
Wool  costs  our  own  Manufacturers;  wherefore,  if  the 
People  in  foreign  Nations  could  not  live  a  vast  deal 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  63 

cheaper  than  we  can  do,  they  could  not  be  able  to 
work  so  much  cheaper,  as  to  prevent  us  from  send- 
ing them  our  Manufactures.  But  because  the  Neces- 
saries of  Life  cost  them  a  vast  deal  less  than  those 
Things  cost  us,  therefore  notwithstanding  our  Wool 
costs  them  a  vast  deal  more,  for  the  Reasons  above 
assigned,  than  it  cost  us,  yet  they  are  able  by  this 
Means  to  make  the  Manufactures  cheaper  for  them- 
selves than  they  can  have  them  from  us*;  and  this 

*  Mr.  Benjamin  Ward  of  Yarmouth,  in  his  State  of  the  Woollen  Manu- 
factory considered,10  who  seems  to  have  informed  himself  thoroughly  of  this 
important  Branch  in  foreign  Nations,  says,  Page  4.  "  It's  certain  no 
'  Country  in  Europe  manufactures  all  Kinds  of  Goods  so  dear  as  the  People 
1  of  this  Kingdom,  which  gives  other  Nations  a  vast  Advantage  in  carry- 
'  ing  their  Manufactures  to  Market,  and  enabling  them  to  become  our 
'  Rivals  in  Trade  to  almost  all  Countries;  and  a  little  lower  he  says,  10 
'  Pound  and  a  half  of  Wool  from  the  Sheeps  Back  will  make  a  Piece  of 
'  Calimanco  weighing  eight  Pound,  which  Wool  will  cost  our  Manu- 
1  facturers  /.  /.  d. 

'  about  060 

'  the  manufacturing  thereof  will  cost  140 

'  So  that  the  Piece  will  cost  us  i     10      o 

'  But  though  Foreigners  must  be  at  so  great  a  Charge 
'  to  get  our  Wool,  that  the  same  Quantity  will  cost  them 
4  double,  that  is,  o  12  o 

'  yet  being  able  to  manufacture  the  same  for  o     12      o 

which  is  140 

'  they  can  and  do  undersel  us  6  Shillings,  which  is  20  per  Cent  in  such  a 
'  Piece,  of  which  he  says,  the  manufacturing  Part  is  as  little  as  any  Stuff 
4  we  make;  wherefore,  as  he  says,  Page  9.  we  are  under  an  absolute  Neces- 
'  sity  to  make  our  Goods  as  cheap  as  possibly  we  can,  if  we  mean  not  to 
1  lose  our  foreign  Trade  ". 

And  I  say  there  is  no  way  to  do  it  but  to  reduce  the  Necessaries  of  Life 

to  half  their  present  Price,  that  we  may  work  as  cheap  as  any  Nation  that 

now  interferes  in  any  of  our  Manufactures  or  Branches  of  our  Trade,  which 

may  certainly  be  done  the  Way  I  propose;  and  this  will  infallibly  remedy 

all  the  Evils  the  foreign  or  domestick  Trade  of  this  Kingdom  any  ways 

suffers,  and  will  make  Money  sufficiently  plentiful  amongst  all  Ranks  of 

People,  together  with  it;  for  these  Things  shew  themselves, or  are  self  evident. 

Eras.    Phillips,    Esq;   Page  8.   says,    '  Next  to  lessening  the  Price  of 

Labour   is  to  bring  down  the  Price  of  Wool:  It  hath  been  in  a  great 

Measure  owing  to  the  Dearness  of  our  Woollen  Manufactures,  that  both 

Holland  and  France  have  thought  it  worth  their  Care  to  set  up  Looms  of 

their  own,  to  our  great  if  not  irreparable  Detriment;  and  Franr^hath  so  far 

succeeded,  that  she  seems  to  have  no  further  Occasion  for  our  Gloat hs  at  all. 

'  And  Holland  hath  found  out  this  Secret  of  Trade  to  buy  up  our  Raw 

Cloaths,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  Expression,  and  dye  and  nap  them  so 

much  cheaper  than  we,  that  they  are  able  to  undersel  us  in  Goods  of  our 

own  Produce. 


64  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

68  is   both   the  ||  Cause   and    Encouragement   of  the 
running  our  Wool,  and  enables  those  that  so  fetch 
it  from  us,  to  interfere  with  us,   at  other  foreign 
Markets,  with  the  Manufactures  they  make  of  our 
Wool,  since  they  can  make  them  cheaper  than  we 

69  can,  and,  for  ought  I  can  see,  they  might  be  ||  able,  if 
they  could  get  these  Manufactures  imported  amongst 
us,  to  beat  us  out  of  this  Branch  of  our  Trade  even 
amongst  ourselves,  if  we  should  continue  to  keep 
the  Necessaries  of  Life  so  dear  as  to  prevent  our 
Manufacturers  from  working  cheaper. 

But  if  we  make  our  Victuals  and  Drink  so  much 
cheaper,  as  shall  enable  us  to  work  as  cheap  as 
other  Nations  can  do*,  the  running  our  Wool  will 
stop  of  itself;  for  we  shall  then  be  able  to  send  them 
our  Manufactures  so  cheap,  as  to  prevent  them  from 
putting  themselves  to  such  extraordinary  Difficulties 
and  Charges  to  get  our  Wool,  as  they  now  certainly 
must  do  if  they  will  have  it  from  us. 

And  as  this  is  the  natural  Means  to  prevent  the 
running  our  Wool,  so,  I  believe,  I  may  be  positive 
the  Woollen  Manufactures  in  England  will  never  be 
promoted  or  relieved  any  other  Way  whatsoever; 
because  whilst  the  Necessaries  of  Life  cost  so  much 
as  they  noW  do  amongst  us,  most  other  Nations  will 
be  able  to  work  a  great  deal  cheaper  than  wef .  And 

*This  must  not  be  done  by  making  the  Poor  fare  harder,  or  consume 
less  than  their  reasonable  Wants  in  that  Station  require;  for  they  being 
the  Bulk  of  Mankind  would  in  this  Case  affect  the  Consumption  of  Things 
in  general  so  mightily,  that  there  would  be  a  Want  of  Trade  and  Busi- 
ness amongst  the  other  Part  of  the  People,  which  will  affect  the  Rents  so 
much  the  more  as  the  People  this  Way  shall  be  distressed;  but  this  must 
be  done  by  Smploying  the  Poor  the  right  Way  («'.  e, )  in  Tillage  and  Culti- 
vation of  Land,  to  make  the  Plenty  so  great  that  they  may  have  their 
Wants  properly  supplied  for  that  Station  of  Life,  and  yet  work  so  cheap 
as  to  make  our  Produce  and  Manufactures  as  cheap,  as  any  of  our  neigh- 
bouring Nations  make  any  thing  whatsoever,  wherewith  they  any  Way 
interfere  in  any  Branch  of  our  Trade. 

t 'Tis  a  wrong  Notion,  that  if  our  Poor  who  take  Alms,  were  obliged 
to  work  at  our  Manufactures,  instead  of  being  assisted,  that  our  Manufac- 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  65 

if  thereby  ||  they  are  really  found  able  to  interfere  in  7° 
almost  the  only  natural  Branch  of  our  Trade,  how 
much  more  must  this  affect  us  in  many  other  Branches 
of  our  foreign  Trade,  beside  the  Encouragement 
they  by  this  Means  find  to  vend  their  Wares  to  us, 
whilst  our  Commodities  are  by  this  Means  too  dear 
to  find  sufficient  Encouragement  at  any  of  those 
foreign  Markets  that  can  work  cheaper  than  we  ? 

But  to  encourage  our  Woollen  Manufactures,  we 
ought  most  certainly  to  make  them  cheaper,  that 
many  of  our  own  People,  who  now  go  in  Rags,  and 
almost  naked,  may  be  able  much  easier  to  purchase 
Cloaths;  and  many  others  may  be  more  frequently 
cloathed  than  they  are,  or,  I  believe,  as  Things  now 
stand,  they  can  be;  but  as  this  can't  be  done  but  by 
employing  abundance  more  of  our  People  in  Culti- 
vation of  Land,  so  the  employing  them  this  Way, 
which  will  certainly  make  Things  cheaper  to  what 
Degree  we  please,  will  also  enable  the  People  to 
purchase  such  Cloaths  as  will  defend  them  from  the 
Cold  and  Weather,  and  put  it  in  the  Power  of 
abundance  of  People  to  be  sweet  and  clean,  who 
are  now,  without  Remedy,  a  Reproach  not  only  to 
our  Country,  but  even  to  human  Nature  itself. 

And  thus  I  think  our  Woollen  Manufactures,  which 
now  even  lie  by  and  spoil,  or  rot  in  our  Warehouses, 
would  be  certainly  wanted,  and  used  as  fast  as  they 
could  be  made  by  our  Manufac  ||  turers;  and  this,  1 7* 
think,  would  save  our  Government  the  Charge  they 
are  now  at  for  Officers  and  Vessels  to  prevent  the 
running  our  Wool,  which  I  suppose  can't  be  an  in- 
considerable Article. 

tures  would  thence  become  cheaper;  the  Poor  wou'd  in  this  Case  soon 
make  Labour  so  little  worth  as  to  starve  each  other,  and  then  they  must 
forsake  that  Business,  be  it  what  it  will;  and  then  those  Manufactures 
must  again  fetch  a  Price  that  will  pay  all  Charges,  and  support  the 
Labourer,  or  they  must  cease  to  be  made. 


68  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

the  Mischief  now  brought  on  most  Trades  by  hawk- 
ing Goods;  for  in  almost  every  Trade,  even  where 
vast  Sums  are  employed,  and  where  they  can't  carry 
their  Goods  from  place  to  place,  it  is  become  a  Rule 
to  court  and  solicit  Customers  in  Town  and  Country, 
not  only  to  the  great  and  unreasonable  Reduction 
of  the  Profits  of  Trade,  which  when  hawking  Goods 
thus  becomes  general,  will  be  inseparable  to  this 
Practice,  but  also  to  the  very  great  and  extraordinary 
Expence  of  every  Tradesman,  who  will  put  in  for  a 
Share  of  Trade,  and  not  stay  at  home  whilst  others 
pick  away  his  Customers;  besides  that  the  Customers 
so  obtained  are  often  in  such  Circumstances,  as 
occasion  the  making  more  and  larger  bad  Debts, 
than  would  probably  be  made  if  Goods  were  not 
pushed  off  by  such  extraordinary  Means;  but  if  what 
I  here  propose  be  executed,  all  these  Evils  will  be 
so  far  remedied,  that  it  will  be  every  Man's  chief 
Interest  to  keep  his  Shop,  because  his  Shop  will 
66  then  keep  him.  || 

Fifthly,  The  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this 
Proposal,  will  in  a  great  Measure  prevent  the  giving 
long  Credit,  and  making  bad  Debts  in  Trade. 

For  long  Credit  increases  the  Sums  credited, 
because  People  in  longer  Time  wanting  still  more 
and  more  Goods,  makes  the  Sums  credited  much 
larger  than  they  would  be,  if  Credit  were  consid- 
erably shortened  in  point  of  Time.  Wherefore  such 
long  and  large  Credit,  doth  very  much  contribute 
to  the  making  bad  Debts,  which,  I  think,  is  not  o  ly 
obvious  but  sadly  felt  too,  by  a  great  many;  if  there- 
fore the  executing  this  Proposal,  will  in  some  good 
Degree  prevent  the  giving  long  Credit,  it  must  also 
in  a  great  Measure  prevent  making  bad  Debts. 

Now  the  giving  long  and  large  Credit,  is  un- 
doubtedly owing  only  to  such  Trades  being  too 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  69 

numerous,  whence  the  People  in  such  Trades,  in 
order  to  vend  their  Goods,  find  themselves  under  a 
Necessity,  if  they  will  get  any  thing  by  them,  to  trust 
large  Sums  a  long  Time.  But  if  the  Way  I  contend 
for,  of  furnishing  Tradesmen  with  more  Business, 
were  put  into  Practice,  the  giving  long  and  large 
Credit  would  generally  cease;  for  as  in  this  Case, 
there  would  certainly  be  larger  Business  in  fewer 
Hands,  this  would  (and  nothing  else  can)  enable 
Tradesmen  to  pick  and  choose  whom  they  will  credit, 
whereas  they  now  certainly  are  forced  to  court  and 
oblige  almost  any  body  that  will  take  their  Goods, 
where  they  have  any  tolerable  Prospect  to  have  the 
Money  for  them,  with  what  Credit  and  Time  such 
Customers  please  to  take;  whence  not  only  very 
slow  Returns  of  Money  are  made,  ||  but  great  Losses  67 
and  Ruin  befalls  many  Tradesmen  who  had  pretty 
good  Beginnings,  and  who,  if  their  Trades  had  not 
been  thus  unhappily  circumstanced,  would  probably 
have  made  considerable  Improvements. 

Besides,  the  doing  what  I  contend  for,  would 
certainly  mend  the  Circumstances  of  the  People  in 
general  very  much,  which  would  render  long  Credit 
the  less  necessary,  and  make  the  Risk  of  bad  Debts 
inconsiderable  to  what  it  is,  where  the  People  in 
general  are  in  such  strait  and  bad  Circumstances, 
as  to  stand  in  need  of  long  and  large  Credit.  And 
thus  also  would  much  less  Sums  employed  in  Trade, 
be  sufficient  for  much  larger  Transactions  or  Re- 
turns, than  when  long  and  large  Credit  is  become 
the  Course  of  any  Trade,  which  will  always  unavoid- 
ably be  the  State  of  every  Trade  that  is  overstocked 
with  Numbers. 

But  it  may  be  said,  that  the  giving  long  Credit,  is 
rather  owing  to  the  Plenty  of  the  Commodities  cred- 
ited, than  to  the  Number  of  Traders  in  such  Com- 
modities. 


70  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

But  since  the  Plenty  of  such  Commodities  is  owing 
to  employing  too  many  Hands  in  raising  them,  in 
which  Case,  there  will  always  be  too  many  to  vend 
them,  long  Credit  is  still  owing  to  such  Trades  being 
too  numerous,  and  overdone  in  all  the  several  Parts. 

But  the  Plenty  of  the  more  immediate  Necessaries 
of  Life,  can,  I  think,  never  be  overdone,  because  the 
cheaper  these  are,  which  is  inseparable  from  the 
Plenty  of  them,  the  greater  will  the  Consumption  of 
them  be,  since  they  will  hence  be  more  easily  attained 
68  in  much  larger  ||  Quantities  by  almost  all  Ranks  of 
Men;  and  as  these  are  what  all  Men  chiefly  and 
ultimately  work  for,  in  whatever  Way  they  are  em- 
ployed, so  they  are  the  principal  and  proper  Foun- 
dation of  the  Plenty  and  Cheapness,  and  conse- 
quently of  the  proper  Consumption  of  all  other 
Things  whatsoever.  For  to  what  Purpose  is  it  to 
abound  in  all  kinds  of  Manufactures,  if  the  People 
are  generally  scarce  able  to  procure  themselves  the 
other  more  immediate  Necessaries  of  Life,  Victuals 
and  Drink? 

But  though  the  Rents  must  be  lowered,  as  these 
Things  shall,  by  the  Plenty  of  them,  be  made  cheaper, 
yet  having  before  shewn  that  all  Things  will  hence 
become  cheaper,  in  much  greater  Proportion,  than 
the  Rents  will  be  lowered,  I  shall  only  say  further, 
that  since  all  Things  must  first  come  out  of  the 
Ground,  Lands  will  always  bear  such  Rents  as  the 
Cash  circulating  amongst  the  People,  consistently 
with  the  general  Welfare,  will  naturally  support; 
and  higher  Rents  they  never  can  bear,  without 
greatly  distressing  the  People  in  general,  and  the 
Gentlemen  themselves  too  in  the  End,  of  which  the 
Multitude  of  Farms,  which  have  of  late  been  quitted 
through  the  Inability  of  the  Farmers  to  pay  the 
Rents,  are  a  sufficient  and  melancholy  Proof.  For 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  71 

the  Rents  of  Lands  are  undoubtedly  as  much  sub- 
jected to  the  Quantity  of  Cash  circulating  amongst 
the  People,  as  it  has  been  clearly  shewn  the  Price 
of  Goods  necessarily  is. 

And  hence  I  conclude,  that  it  is  owing  to  too  great 
a  Scarcity  of  Money  amongst  the  People  in  general, 
which  doth  necessarily  lessen  the  Consumption  of 
every  thing  so  much,  that  the  ||  Price  of  the  Produce  69 
of  the  Ground  can't  be  raised  high  enough  to  enable 
the  Farmers  to  pay  all  Charges,  and  live  and  pay 
such  Rents  as  they  were  to  have  paid. 

Sixthly,  The  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this 
Proposal,  would  be  a  vast  Encouragement  to  young 
People  to  marry;  since  the  Means  of  a  Livelihood 
for  Families,  would  hereby  be  vastly  facilitated,  and 
hereby  the  Marriage  State  would  be  relieved  from 
the  melancholy  Difficulties  it  now  too  generally  lies 
under,  for  want  of  striking  out  greater  Plenty,  and 
more  Employment,  to  enable  those  that  are  in  it,  to 
support  and  make  Provision  for  their  Families,  suit- 
ably to  their  several  Ranks  and  Stations. 

And  those  unjust  Reflections,  too  frequently  cast 
on  the  Marriage  State,  would  cease  with  those  Diffi- 
culties, which  is  the  general  Foundation  of  them  all; 
and  we  should  sing  with  Milton,  Book  4th, 

Hail  wedded  Love,  mysterious  Law,  true  Source 

Of  human  Offspring! 

By  thee  adulterous  Lust  was  driven  from  Men, 

Amongst  the  bestial  Herd  to  range;  by  thee, 

Founded  in  Reason,  loyal,  just  and  pure, 

Relations  dear,  and  all  the  Charities 

Of  Father,  Son,  and  Brother,  first  were  known. 

Here  Love  his  Golden  Shafts  employs,  here  lights 

His  constant  Lamp,  and  waves  his  purple  Wings; 

Reigns  here,  and  revels;  not  in  the  bought  Smile 

Of  Harlots,  loveless,  joyless,  unindeard. 


72  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

The  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this  Proposal 
70  would  cause  much  less  Fortunes  to  be  re  ||  quired 
with  young  Women;  since  not  only  much  less  Sums 
would  transact  much  larger  Affairs,  but  there  would 
abundance  more  Business  every  way  arise  to  be 
transacted;  whence  the  young  Men  would  not  have 
Occasion  for  such  Precautions,  as  are  now  absolutely 
needful  to  all  that  will  marry. 

I  believe  we  should  then  be  far  from  finding  near 
a  fourth  part  of  our  Traders  single  Men*,  as  is  by 
many  with  some  Probability  conjectured;  to  this 
Cause  I  attribute  the  great  Number  of  Prostitutes 
of  the  other  Sex,  which  I  believe  never  can  be  so 
effectually  remedied,  as  by  making  the  Marriage 
State  more  easy  in  point  of  Charge. 

And  as  this  will  infallibly  be  effected,  by  the  Means 
I  have  pointed  out,  so  it  will  at  the  same  Time 
certainly  furnish  so  much  more  Business  of  every 
kind,  as  considerably  to  increase  the  Gains  likewise. 
Further,  when  I  consider  that  the  Male  exceeds 
the  Female  Sex  about  seven  in  an  hundred,  by  which, 
if  all  the  Women  were  in  the  Marriage  State,  the 
fifteenth  Man  must  live  single,  there  being  no  Female 
provided  for  him;  and  also  the  natural  Modesty  of 
the  Female,  which  being  greater,  inclines  them  more 
strongly  to  virtuous  Love,  than  the  fashionable  Bold- 
ness of  the  other  Sex  doth;  when  I  consider  these 
Things,  I  can  find  no  Cause,  to  which  to  impute  the 
7»  great  Number  of  Prostitutes,  but  ||  that  too  many 
Men  avoid  the  Mariage  State,  not,  as  they  pretend, 
for  the  Sake  of  being  free,  and  at  their  Liberty  (for 
in  truth  they  are  often  wretched  Slaves  to  ill  Women 
and  Diseases)  but  on  the  Account  of  the  unavoidable 

*  That  the  single  Women  are  very  numerous,  will  I  believe  be  easily 
allowed;  and  then  that  the  Number  of  single  Men  are  greater  is  certain, 
since  the  Male  Sex  are  considerably  more  numerous  than  the  Female,  as 
I  will  presently  shew. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  73 

and  great  Charges  which  attend  it,  and  its  being 
almost  impossible  to  make  such  Provision  for  Chil- 
dren, as  may  put  them  into  as  good  Circumstances 
as  their  Parents  began  in. 

This  Motive  is  indeed  so  prudent,  that  I  can't 
help  recommending  it  as  the  most  laudable  and 
praise-worthy  Thing  in  the  World,  and  which  I  wish 
both  Sexes  would  always  attend  to,  and  be  governed 
by;  provided  they  do  at  the  same  time  always  pre- 
serve their  Virtue  and  Innocence  unblemished. 

The  Rules  laid  down  in  this  Essay  are  sufficient 
Direction  to  the  first  of  these;  and  for  the  latter,  I 
must  address  my  self  to  the  fair  Sex,  and  desire 
them  to  consider  and  always  remember,  that  as  the 
great  Point  of  Honour  in  them  is  Chastity,  so  they 
may  see,  how  wisely  Providence  hath  proportioned 
the  Sexes  to  maintain  it.  For  as  they  may  assure 
themselves,  the  i5th  Man  through  the  whole  Male 
Sex,  never  will,  if  they  can  help  it,  live  without  a 
Woman;  so  the  Demand  for  Women  (to  speak  in 
the  Tradesman's  Stile)  must  necessarily  be  so  great, 
that  they  shall  not  only  all  have  Husbands,  if  they 
please,  but  may  refuse  too  such  as  they  don't  so  well 
like,  provided  they  would  all  be  wise  and  good 
enough  to  maintain  this  their  great  Point  of  Honour, 
Chastity. 

And  I  would  hope,  it  may  be  a  Means  to  cause  some 
of  those,  who  shall  hence  be  inform  [|  ed,  how  much 72 
more  numerous  the  Male  Sex  are  than  the  Female, 
who  might  otherwise  be  in  any  Danger  of  a  dis- 
honourable Surrender,  to  be  more  on  their  Guard, 
and  let  no  Arts,  no  Pretences  ever  prevail,  but  law- 
ful Marriage,  which  is,  and  always  will  be  honourable 
in  all. 

And  hence  we  may  see,  how  great  an  Injury 
Prostitutes  are  to  Society,  since  'tis  they  only  are 


74  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

the  Occasion,  that  so  many  Women  do  and  must 
live  singly  and  consequently  put  a  great  Impediment 
on  the  Increase  of  the  human  Race,  and  cut  off  a 
great  deal  of  Employment  from  amongst  the  People, 
which  depends  very  much  on  the  Increase  of  Man- 
kind; and  thus  they  also  contribute  very  much  to 
make  many  Women  enter  on  Trades,  and  work  at 
Businesses,  that  should  be  Employment  for  Men, 
and  afford  better  Wages  for  the  Support  of  Families, 
than  any  Trades  ever  will  do,  where  the  Women  are 
considerable  Workers  at  such  Trades;  and  as  this 
often  lays  the  married  Women,  whose  Business  is 
to  bear  Children  and  guide  the  House,  which  is 
generally  Work  enough  for  them,  under  a  Neces- 
sity to  work  at  some  Trade  or  Calling  to  earn  some- 
thing to  help  to  support  their  Families,  their  Hus- 
bands Wages  being  hence  insufficient  to  do  it;  so 
their  Children  must,  and  hence  often  are  so  neglect- 
ed, that  many  of  them  are  lost,  and  such  of  them 
as  will  live  almost  in  spight  of  such  unavoidable 
73  Neglects,  are  commonly  Cripples. || 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS 


75 


_-    •  -  T3 


WJ    " 


*>     „ 
.£     3 


a  - 
•£  R 

5-S 

- 


n     e   —  —  ** 

c    n  o  3  c 

t>     «>•«••  JO  C  3 

£  fa.  2  rt  =  js 


O  V        M 

"o  S    ° 

8  -  »  J 

^  *-  i 

5  Is" 

^  ot.2 
wj    -  •£ 


•r  J=    c  x 


3  t 


JJ     -t  oo 


-n    | 


vo    r*.r^r«.r^i^f»r^ 


co  oo     O 


OO      M      ON 
VO      CO    t~. 


>*. 


f-  O 

N  00 

N  O 

N  N 


***    P 

*s 


2  •= 


Ji  ^s 


J!JON'NIOO\O»«-iONOOhx 


^    *i  O  Q        'C 

ra  ^s  '-5  R     -e 
«5  X  2  ?     U 


^     vo    VO 

S  *  •* 


»a 

VO    vo    vo     vo     vo 


O    v- 

S     VO 
C     vo 


ONO     «     N     to^J-vnvo     r^OO     OvO     •" 


_    „     ,_       .._,oooOMOo^-OOoooovn 

Et^OO      OvOX"-      COCON      O      t^N      N,OOOOVOOO 
N     N     N     N     totocococoN     co^t-'*-'*'U^Tt- 


t^     O<    «*•   00     VO      i-      •« 
cococo^w^iovo     vr> 


•s 


O     O 
C     >o 

C    vo 


O      "-1      N      to 


74 


76  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Seventhly,  Though  what  I  have  been  endeavouring 
to  shew  through  this  whole  Essay,  viz.  that  if  the 
Plenty  be  made  great  enough,  the  Consequence 
must  be  both  more  Employment  and  Trade  too 
amongst  the  People;  and  likewise  that  the  Neces- 
saries of  Life,  which  almost  all  are  ultimately  striv- 
ing for,  will  be  much  easier  attained,  and  the  People 
in  general  thence  be  in  better  Circumstances,  and 
a  much  happier  Condition;  I  say,  though  these 
Things  suggest  themselves  with  the  Clearness  and 
Evidence  of  first  Principles,  yet  I  shall  use  one 
Argument  more,  which  will  evince,  that  a  vast  deal 
more  Business  of  every  Kind,  will  be  the  Effect  of 
fully  and  sufficiently  executing  this  Proposal  in  all 
its  Parts;  and  that,  from  the  Consideration  of  the 
general  Condition  and  Circumstances  of  the  People, 
%  of  whom,  in  much  better  Times  of  Trade  and  Busi- 
ness, are,  by  the  Spectator,  N°  200,  asserted  to  be 
without  any  Property  at  all  in  themselves,  or  the 
Heads  of  their  Families,  and  must  Work  for  their 
daily  Bread. 

Now  I  of  so  large  a  Body,  as  the  People  of  this 
Kingdom,  must  needs  have  a  vast  Influence  on  the 
Trade  of  it,  if  we  consider  them,  as  being  little  more 
than  half  the  Consumers  they  might  and  ought  to 
be;  which  I  shall  shew,  by  the  following  Estimate  for 
a  labouring  Man  and  his  Family;  and  though  this 
Estimate  is  made  for  a  labouring  Man's  Family  in 
London,  yet  since  the  Wages  of  the  labouring 
People  in  the  Country  are  as  much  less  than  Wages 
in  London,  as  the  Country  People  can  subsist 
cheaper,  it  will  still  hold  that  the  labouring  People 
75  in  general  are  but  half  the  Consumers  they  ought  || 
to  be,  as  the  following  Estimate  will  sufficiently 
prove. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS 


77 


An  Estimate  of  the  necessary  Charge  of  a  labouring  Man  and  hit  Family 
in  London,  consisting  of  a  Man  and  his  Wife  and  four  Children,  which 
I  take  to  be  a  middling  Family;  however,  since  they  often  may  have 
more  Children,  this  must  at  least  be  a  needful  Allowance  for  a  labour- 
ing Man  and  his  Family. 


Daily 
Expence 
per  Head. 

d        a 

Daily 
Expence 
of  the  whole 
Family. 

/       s       d 

Weekly    Ex- 
pence  of    the 
whole  Fa- 
mily. 

/       /.      d. 

Yearly 
Expence 
of  the  whole 
Family. 

/.      /.      d. 

Bread  for  six  PerO 

4 

sons,                      J 

Butter,                                         i 

\\ 

10  J 

Cheese,                                        i 

* 

si 

Meat,                                 i 

6 

3         6 

Small  Beer,                                2 

3 

i         9 

Roots,  Herbs, 

Flower,  Oat- 

meal,   Salt,  Vine-   •                i 

l| 

ioi 

gar,  Pepper, 

Mustard,  Sugar, 

Soap,                                             J 

i 

Si 

Threads,  Needles,  ~| 

Pins,  Worsteads, 

Tapes,  &c.  for  re-  >•                 i 

t 

Si 

pairing  Cloaths, 

Milk  one  Day  with  1 

another,    for   the     r 

\ 

Si 

whole  Family, 

A  Candle  one  Day  ") 
with  another,           J 

\ 

Si 

Coals    one    Day    "1 
with    another,    J 

2 

I            2 

Strong  Beer, 

•i 

reft 

13 


76 


JACOB  VANDERLINT 


Weekly  Ex- 
pence  of  the 
whole  Fami 

ly. 
/.    /.     d. 


Brought  over 
Repairs  of  Household-Goods,  as  Bedding, 

Sheets,    Table-Linnen,   Mops,     Brooms, 

Brushes,    Pots,    Pans,    &c.    guess'd    to 

make  the  Pence  even,  at 
Schooling  for  the  Children. 
Rent  of  two  Rooms,  which  is  as  little  as  such 

a  Family  can  or  ought  to  ihift  with. 
A  Woman's  Victuals  and  Wages  in  Lyings- 

in,     and    Illness,    with    extraordinary 

Charges  on    such  Occasions,   guess'd  at 
Cloaths,  Linen,  Woollen,  Shoes,  Stockings, 

&c.  for  the  Man,  guess'd  at 
Ditto,  for  the  Woman. 
Ditto,    for   the  four  Children  at  i    /.  per 

Annum  per  Head. 
Physick  for  the  whole  Family  one  Year  with 

another. 
The    necessary  Yearly   Charge  of    such    a 

Family. 


13 


16 


Yearly 
Expence. 


/.      /.      d. 


43 

2 

2         IO 
2         10 


54       10 


If  any  think  the  Article  of  Cloaths  too  much,  let 
them  consider  to  what  Purpose  the  Manufactures 
are  made,  if  I  of  the  People  can't  be  allowed  to  be 
such  inconsiderable  Consumers. 

And  if  any  think  the  other  Part  of  the  Estimate 
too  large,  let  them  shew  how  such  a  Family  can  with 
any  Decency  have  their  Wants  supplied  with  these 
Things,  cheaper  than  I  have  put  them. 

But  if  any  please  to  strike  any  of  these  Things 
out  of  the  Estimate,  I  would  advise,  that  those  Things 
should  not  be  raised  in  the  World  at  all,  since  I  of 
77  Mankind  can't  be  allowed  to  partake  of  them.  || 

For  high  as  this  Estimate  runs,  it  is  not  half  so 
much  as  such  a  Family  will  cost  in  the  very  next 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  79 

Station  of  Life  above  the  labouring  Mechanick's 
Rank,  whilst  at  the  same  time  it's  certain,  as  the 
Prices  of  Necessaries  now  are,  the  labouring  Me- 
chanick  can  hardly  earn  enough  to  purchase  half 
these  Things. 

For  whatever  Wages  a  working  Man  may  some- 
times earn,  10  or  12  Shillings  per  Week,  when  all 
Deductions  are  made  of  lost  Time  for  want  of  Work 
and  Illness,  is  the  utmost  one  Man  with  another  can 
get  for  himself  and  Family,  which  being  but  26  or 
30  /.  per  Annum,  is  but  about  half  what  is  necessary 
for  the  Support  of  such  a  Family,  in  the  meanest 
Manner  it  can  be  decently  done. 

This  therefore  shews  the  Usefulness  and  Neces- 
sity of  making  the  Plenty  so  much  greater,  that 
every  thing  may  be  thereby  made  much  cheaper, 
that  there  may  be  more  Work  to  employ  the  Poor, 
and  their  Wants  may  be  better  supplied,  which  will 
necessarily  make  so  much  more  Trade  and  Busi- 
ness amongst  others. 

This  Estimate  also  shews,  that  a  Principle  I  have 
gone  upon,  and  hitherto  taken  for  granted,  is  true, 
in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  itself,  viz.  that  the  Wants 
of  Mankind,  if  fully  supplied  according  to  their 
several  Ranks  in  Life  only,  are  sufficient  to  give  full 
Employment  to  all  that  must  get  their  Living  by 
their  Diligence  and  Labour. 

For  if  I  of  the  People,  were,  as  they  might  and 
ought  to  be,  double  the  Consumers  they  are,  which, 
I  think,  appears  by  this  Estimate;  it  would  rather 
be  a  Question,whether  Mankind  ||  are  able  to  supply  78 
all  their  Wants,  than  whether  the  Wants  of  Mankind 
are  sufficient  to  give  full  Employment  to  those  that 
want  it. 

And  this  is  an  invincible  Argument  for  a  free  and 
unrestrained  Trade,  since  if  any  Nation  makes 


8o  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Goods  for  us,  we  must  be  making  others  for  them 
or  some  other  Nation,  and  so  mutually  for  each 
other,  provided  our  Goods  are  made  cheap  enough 
to  maintain  such  Commerce. 

And  if  so,  what  a  Number  of  People  will  every 
Nation  thus  be  able,  by  means  of  maritime  Com- 
merce, with  all  its  Appendages,  to  sustain,  more 
than  any  such  Nation  could  do,  without  this  Way  of 
employing  and  supporting  them.  For  if  the  People 
had  not  this  Way  to  employ  them,  they  must  fall 
into  Agriculture  for  Employment;  in  which  Case, 
the  same  Number  of  People  would  require  a  vastly 
greater  Extent  of  Territory  to  support  them,  than 
in  the  former  Case;  and  their  Affluence*  would  in 
general  be  vastly  less  likewise;  besides,  that  such  a 
Nation  would  not  be  near  so  formidable;  the  Reasons 
of  which  I  shall  endeavour  to  shew. 

If  any  certain  Quantity  of  Land  well  cultivated 
and  improved  will  produce  Corn  and  Cattle,  and 
all  other  Necessaries  for  the  Use  of  Man,  when  only 
$  of  the  People,  suppose,  are  immediately  employ'd 
this  Way,  whilst  the  other  f  are  employed  in  mari- 
79 time  Affairs,  and  Affairs  thereunto  re  ||  lating,  and 
otherVocations;  if  the  People  can  be  so  subsisted,  as 
they  undoubtedly  are,  at  the  same  Time  that  their 
maritime  Commerce  is  not  only  so  useful,  to  employ 
so  very  great  a  Part  of  them,  as  subsist  in  any  Re- 
lation to  it,  but  brings  them  Gold  and  Silver,  who 
have  no  other  Way  to  procure  any  amongst  them, 
which  Gold  and  Silver,  by  being  made  the  Medium 
of  all  Transactions,  circulates  swiftly  through  every 

*To  convince  us  of  this,  we  need  only  compare  the  Magnificence  and 
Splendour  of  a  City  or  Town,  whose  maritime  Trade  is  considerable,  with 
the  Rusticity  and  Meanness  of  the  Country  People;  for  let  them  set  up 
Coaches,  and  build  fine  Seats,  as  many  Merchants  and  Tradesmen  in 
•uch  Towns  are  continually  doing,  and  then  I'll  acknowledge  that  Afflu- 
ence and  Power  are  so  immediately  connected  with  the  Plow,  that  no  Na- 
tion need  concern  themselves  at  all  about  maritime  Commerce. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  81 

Hand,  in  suitable  Proportion  to  the  Business  each 
Particular  transacts,  leaving  also  amongst  many  of 
them  a  Surplus,  greater  than  what  their  particular 
Occasions  require,  which  constitutes  the  Wealth  of 
such  Particulars,  and  which,  when  many  of  the  People 
are  thus  enriched,  constitutes  what  is  called  national 
Affluence;  I  say,  a  Nation  doth  thus  become  properly 
affluent,  and  that  includes  Strength  and  Power. 

All  Interruptions  therefore  of  this  Commerce, 
whilst  it  continues  gainful  (i.  e.  increases  the  Na- 
tion's Cash)  will  no  doubt  be  allowed  to  lessen 
this  Affluence,  Strength  and  Power.  Therefore  when 
any  Branch  of  Commerce  lessens  the  Cash  of  a 
Nation,  I  expect  it  will  be  thought  fit  by  high  Duties 
or  Prohibitions  to  restrain  or  suppress  it;  but  this 
I  shall  take  the  Liberty  to  deny,  because  it  will  hence 
become  fit  for  other  Nations  to  lay  such  Restraints 
or  Prohibitions,  as  never  to  let  us  have  a  gainful 
Trade,  if  they  can  help  it,  it  being  just  so  far  a  los- 
ing Trade  to  them  as  it's  gainful  to  us;  and  as  mari- 
time Commerce  must  be,  and  certainly  now  is,  very 
much  lessened  by  these  mutual  Restraints,  so  many 
People  must  have  lost  their  Employment  in  every 
such  Nation,  and  where  they  will  find  ||  Employment,  go 
but  in  Tillage  and  Cultivation  of  Land,  I  can't  ima- 
gine; wherefore,  if  they  must  employ  such,  or  an 
equal  Number  of  others  this  Way,  which  indeed  the 
rising  Generation  will  best  and  most  naturally  supply 
for  that  Purpose,  as  they  can't  be  employed  on  the 
Land  before  cultivated,  so  it's  certain  they  must  have 
so  much  larger  Territory  to  support  the  same  Num- 
ber of  People,  whereby,  as  their  domestick  Trade 
will  languish  as  their  maritime  Trade  decreases, 
because  domestick  Trade  doth  very  much  depend 
on  maritime  Trade,  so  their  maritime  Force  will 
decrease  together  with  them;  for  the  Truth  of  which, 


82  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

I  appeal  to  Experience  and  Fact,  whether  every 
Nation  be  not  more  or  less  formidable,  as  their 
maritime  Commerce  is  more  extensive  or  less  con- 
siderable; whence  it's  plain,  Affluence  and  Strength 
are  so  connected  with  the  maritime  Trade  of  a  Na- 
tion, that  they  must  increase  or  diminish  together. 

But  if  every  Nation,  instead  of  such  Restraints, 
would  make  their  Produce,  &c.  cheap  enough,  which 
they  can  always  do,  and  that  to  the  real  Advantage 
of  every  Part  of  the  Community,  their  good  and 
cheap  Goods  would  force  themselves  by  these 
Qualities  (which  are  inseparably  connected)  on  some 
other  Nations  at  least,  and,  I  think,  on  them  too 
who  endeavour  to  restrain  them,  and  thus  extend 
as  well  as  preserve  their  maritime  Commerce,  and 
with  it  their  Affluence  and  Prowess. 

And  this  might  perhaps  demonstrate  to  others 
the  Folly  of  restraining  Trade  in  any  Degree  what- 
soever, and  be  a  Means  to  point  the  Way  to  make 
81  their  People  happy  in  Trade  without  ||  such  Re- 
straints, or  ever  going  to  War  with  each  other  about 
it;  for  War,  I  am  sure,  is  always  in  its  Consequences, 
as  destructive  of  Trade  as  it  is  of  the  Peace  and 
Happiness  of  Mankind. 

But  the  above  Estimate  shews,  that  if  the  Produce 
of  the  Earth  were  doubled,  it  would  certainly  be 
consumed,  since  the  Wages  of  the  labouring  People, 
who  are  the  Bulk  of  Mankind*,  are  not  sufficient 
to  purchase  above  half  the  Necessaries  such  a  Family 
doth  require.  If  it  be  said,  every  one  hath  not  so 
large  a  Family;  I  answer,  that  many  have  larger; 
and  as  it  is  reasonably  expected,  every  Man  should 
provide  for  his  own  Family,  how  large  soever  it  may 
be;  it  hence  becomes  fit,  that  every  Man  should  be 

*The  labouring  People  being  so  great  a  Part  of  the  whole  as  I,  for 
Argument  Sake,  I  take  them  here  for  the  whole. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  83 

capable  to  earn,  at  least,  as  much  as  will  provide  for 
such  a  middling  Family,  as  the  Estimate  is  made  for. 

But  I  must  observe,  that  the  Produce  of  the  Earth 
could  not  be  doubled,  unless  the  Quantity  of  Land 
in  Use  were  also  doubled;  for  the  Land  in  Use  doth 
certainly,  generally,  produce  as  much  as  it  can  well 
be  made  to  bear;  therefore  it  follows,  there  must  be 
twice  as  much  Land  to  bear  twice  the  present  Quan- 
tity of  Produce,  which  the  Estimate  shews  would  be 
consumed,  without  altering  the  several  Ranks  and 
Stations  of  Man  in  any  Respect,  but  that  of  being 
comfortably  supported  in  the  several  Ranks  and 
Stations  of  Life. 

But  to  double  the  Produce,  there  must  be  double 
the  Number  of  People  employed  in  Cul  ||  tivation82 
of  Land.  Now,  I  think  it  self-evident,  that  Trade, 
Manufactures,  &c.  could  not  possibly  spare  half  such 
a  Number  of  People  out  of  them,  without  making 
Trade,  Manufactures,  &c.  much  too  profitable,  and 
encouraging,  to  suffer  half  so  many  People  to  em- 
ploy themselves  any  other  Way.  For  as  it  is  the 
Demand,  which  governs  and  fixes  the  Price  of  every 
thing,  if  so  many  People  were  to  be  taken  out  of 
Trade,  Manufactures,  &c.  as  half  the  Quantity  of 
Land,  we  have  now  in  Use,  would  require  to  culti- 
vate and  improve  it,  and  go  through  all  the  Parts 
of  Business  arising  thereby,  the  Manufacturers, 
Traders,  &c.  would  undoubtedly  be  able  to  exact 
almost  what  Price  they  pleased  for  their  Work  and 
Business.  Upon  the  whole  then,  we  may  see,  that 
all  the  Produce  of  the  Earth  and  Manufactures 
would  be  wanted  and  used,  if  Things  were  to  be  put 
on  so  happy  a  Foot,  as  I  am  pointing  out;  and  that 
the  Wants  of  Mankind  are  full  as  great,  as  both 
their  Abilities,  and  the  Earth  too,  are  capable  of 
supplying;  whence  it  follows,  that  any  Want  of  Em- 


84  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

ployment  or  Trade  amongst  the  People,  is  solely 
owing  to  this,  that  we  have  not  Land  enough  in  Use 
to  employ  and  support  them. 

Again,  I  would  observe,  that  if  the  present  Quan- 
tity of  Produce  were  to  be  augmented  only  one 
Fourth  at  most  (and  perhaps  People  enough  might 
be  spared  out  of  Trade,  Manufactures,  &c.  to  do 
this)  it  would  certainly  fall  the  Price  of  the  Produce 
half. 

For  since  Farms  must,  in  this  Case,  be  one  Fourth 
83  more  numerous  than  they  are,  the  Rents  ||  of  Lands 
would  thereby  necessarily  be  considerably  lowered; 
and  if  the  Produce  of  the  Earth  would,  in  this  Case, 
be  augmented  to  so  great  a  Degree,  as  a  fourth 
Part  also,  as  I  suppose  it  certainly  would;  these 
Things  taken  together,  I  think,  could  not  fail  to 
lower  the  Price  of  the  Produce  half,  and  then  Labour 
would  of  Necessity  be  lowered  also,  because  the 
working  People  would  be  under  no  less  Necessity 
than  they  are  now,  to  work  as  cheap  as  they  possibly 
can. 

For  if,  as  it  hath  been  shewn,  the  Produce  can't 
be  doubled,  to  enable  the  working  People  to  be 
double  the  Consumers  they  now  are,  as  the  Estimate 
shews  they  certainly  would,  if  they  could  get  it,  and 
that  without  bringing  them  at  all  out  of  the  Rank 
and  Condition  of  working  People:  Nay,  if  the  Pro- 
duce can't  be  increased  half,  nor  perhaps  hardly  one 
Fourth  neither,  would  not  absolute  Necessity  oblige 
the  working  People  to  work  as  cheap  as  they  pos- 
sible can,  that  they  may  be  able  to  supply  their 
Wants  as  far  as  they  can,  which  yet,  it  appears  by 
the  Estimate,  must  be  considerably  abridged,  not- 
withstanding the  Plenty,  which  a  fourth  Part  more 
Land  than  we  now  have  in  Use  would  produce;  and 
notwithstanding  too,  that  there  would,  in  this  Case, 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  85 

be  so  much  more  Employment  for  the  working 
People,  as  would  fill  up  the  whole  Time  they  have 
to  labour  in:  So  true  is  the  Proverb,  and  so  true 
'twill  always  be,  That  nothing  is  cheap,  but  poor 
Folks  Labour. 

But  this  Estimate  shews,  how  much  the  Neces- 
saries of  Life  ought  to  be  lowered  in  Price,  in  order 
to  reduce  the  Wages  of  the  labouring  ||  People,  so  as  to  84 
make  much  more  Employment  for  them,  and  at  the 
same  time  increase  the  Consumption  of  every  thing 
to  such  a  Degree,  that  there  may  be  a  great  deal 
more  Business  amongst  the  trading  Part  of  the 
People. 

The  labouring  People,  I  am  sure,  and  do  insist  on 
it,  notwithstanding  my  Estimate,  can  make  about 
1 6  Shillings  per  Week  support  such  a  Family,  as 
the  Estimate  is  made  for,  though  I  know  not,  nor 
desire  to  know,  how  to  make  an  Estimate  thereof; 
and  I  have  heard  them  that  have  such  Families, 
declare  they  should  think  themselves  happy,  if  they 
could  get  so  much  one  Week  with  another;  where- 
fore it  appears  to  me,  that  in  order  to  reduce  Labour, 
the  Necessaries  of  Life  should  be  lowered  about 
half,  that  8  Shillings  might  purchase  as  much  as  16 
will  now  do;  and  then  Labour  might  be  lowered  at 
least  one  Fourth,  and  the  labouring  People  be  ena- 
bled, notwithstanding,  to  purchase  near  half  as  many 
more  Necessaries  as  their  present  Wages  of  10  or 
1 2  Shillings  per  Week  will  do,  at  the  Rates  these 
Things  now  go;  and,  I  think,  any  one  who  considers 
the  Pittances  allowed  in  the  Estimate,  must  think  it 
fit,  that  the  labouring  People,  if  they  will  be  indus- 
trious, should  notwithstanding  any  manner  of  Pre- 
tences or  Suggestions  to  the  contrary,  have  it  in 
their  Power  to  obtain  half  as  many  more  Necessaries 
for  their  Support  and  Comfort,  as  their  present 


86  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Wages  will  now  purchase,  and  then  there  would  be 
almost  half  as  much  more  Trade  and  Business 
amongst  the  People  in  general,  as  there  now  is,  or 

8s  can  be  till  this  be  done;  ||  besides  all  other  mighty 
Advantages,  inseparably  connected  with  it;  of  which, 
the  Removal  of  many  of  those  Temptations,  which 
contribute  to  the  Destruction  of  the  Poor,  and  which 
would,  in  this  Case,  in  a  great  Measure  be  certainly 
removed,  is  no  small  one. 

For  I  take  the  great  Number  of  Brandy-shops 
and  Ale-houses,  which  have  multiplied  so  mightily 
of  late  Years,  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  Snares  and 
Temptations  that  could  be  laid  in  the  Way  of  the 
labouring  People,  and  which  introduces  most  of  the 
Calamities  and  Vices  they  fall  into;  these  which  are 
so  great  a  Snare  to  the  poorer  Sort,  as  Taverns  also 
are  to  many  in  better  Stations,  would,  I  think,  soon 
be  very  much  reduced  in  their  Numbers  (though  I 
suppose  we  shall  always  have  enough  of  them)  if  so 
much  new  Employment  were  produced  for  the 
People  in  general,  as  would  arise  by  the  Execution 
of  this  Proposal. 

For  since  it  hath  been  shewn,  that  the  full  Exe- 
cution of  this  Proposal  will  create  as  much  Employ- 
ment and  Trade  as  the  People  can  possibly  perform, 
I  think  the  trading  People  would  soon  find  more 
honourable,  if  not  more  profitable  Ways  to  subsist, 
than  by  enticing  and  encouraging  the  working 
People  to  spend  the  Money  they  know  should  be 
saved  for  and  laid  out  on  their  Families;  and  instead 
of  suffering  them  to  disorder  themselves,  and  waste 
that  Time,  which  should  be  employed  to  gain  a 
Support  for  their  Families,  or  if  they  have  none,  to 
provide  against  the  Infirmities  of  Age,  and  other 

86  Accidents  of  Life,  or  for  near  and  helpless  Relati- 1| 
ons,  they  would  even  turn  such  disorderly  People 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  87 

out  of  their  Houses,  or  at  least  not  sell  them  Liquors 
so  vastly  injurious  to  them,  and  all  the  Relations 
they  stand  in  to  others.  For  there  are  Instances  of 
Brandy-Shops  and  Publick-houses.who  having  pretty 
good  Trades  will  not  suffer  such  Excesses  in  their 
Houses,  notwithstanding  the  many  Examples,  and 
State  of  Trade  in  general  are  bad  enough  to  justify 
any  Means  of  attaining  a  Livelihood,  not  absolutely 
unlawful.  But  there  is  a  Necessity  to  lower  the  Ne- 
cessaries of  Life  to  about  half  the  present  Price,  if 
we  would  reduce  Labour  only  one  fourth  Part  lower 
than  it  now  goes;  for  as  it  is  the  Demand  alone, 
which  gives  the  Value,  and  fixes  the  Price  to  every 
thing,  any  slender  Attempts  to  employ  the  Poor, 
and  make  more  Business  this  Way  arise  to  others, 
would  by  encreasing  the  Demand  for  Labour,  &c. 
rather  tend  to  raise  the  Wages  of  the  labouring 
People,  and  augment  the  Profits  of  the  trading  Part, 
than  to  lower  either  of  them;  for  I  believe  the  trad- 
ing People  in  general  (and  their  numerous  Com- 
plaints to  the  Parliament,  shew  as  much,  as  well  as 
an  Estimate  I  have  subjoined)  stand  in  need  of  larger 
Profits,  as  the  first  Estimate  also  shews  the  labour- 
ing People  do  of  larger  Supplies,  than  their  present 
Wages  will  now  procure  them. 

But  perhaps  it  may  be  asked,  How  Labour  can 
be  reduced  the  Way  I  propose,  since  the  Demand 
for  it  (which  always  advances  the  Price  of  every 
thing)  will  be  greater:  To  which  I  answer,  that  it  is 
the  present  Rates  of  Labour  only  that  ||  will  be  re-g7 
duced  my  Way,  but  its  Value,  according  to  the 
above  Maxim  will  be  greater,  when  the  Necessaries 
of  Life  are  rendered  so  much  cheaper,  that  a  fourth 
Part  less  Wages  will  purchase  near  half  as  many 
more  Necessaries  as  the  present  Rates  of  Labour 
will  do;  and  as  this  is  all  the  Reduction  of  Labour  I 


88  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

am  aiming  at,  or  which  in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing 
is  possible,  so,  that  I  may  be  clearly  understood,  let 
it  be  supposed,  that  such  a  labouring  Man's  Family 
can  be  decently  maintained  (as  it  most  certainly  may) 
with  about  16  Shillings  per  Week,  and  that  the  Ne- 
cessaries of  Life  were  lowered  to  half  their  present 
Price;  as  8  Shillings  would  then  purchase  as  much 
as  1 6  will  now  do,  which  is  at  least  a  third  more 
than  their  present  Wages  of  10  or  12  Shillings  will 
now  purchase;  so  Labour  would  then  really  be  about 
\  Part  more  valuable  than  it  is  now,  though  its  Rate 
at  the  same  time  be  lowered  about  \  Part  also. 

But  if  we  would  really  effect  this,  we  must  un- 
doubtedly, as  fast  as  possible,  improve  such  large 
Tracts  of  waste  Land,  as  will  employ  all  the  Hands, 
Trade,  and  Manufactures  will  possibly  suffer  to  be 
employed  this  Way;  for  a  Nation  is  a  great  Body  of 
People,  and  if  we  would  do  Things  they  may  all  feel 
the  good  Effects  of,  we  must  do  great  Things  indeed; 
and  a  very  great  Thing  it  will  be  to  reduce  the  Price 
of  Necessaries  half,  which,  I  think,  I  have  shewn  to 
be  absolutely  needful  to  reduce  the  present  Rates 
of  Labour,  and  at  the  same  time  supply  the  labour- 
ing People  with  the  Things  needful  to  that  Station 
of  Life,  and  thereby  make  so  much  more  Business 
88 amongst  others,  without  ||  which,  Trade  in  general 
cannot  flourish,  because  all  Trade  depends  solely 
on  the  Consumption;  and  yet,  I  think  it  appears,  by 
what  I  have  said,  that  Trade  will  flourish,  before  the 
Poor  will  find  in  their  Power  to  attain  the  Supplies 
I  wish  them,  since  the  Labour  of  the  Poor  is  the 
Wealth  of  the  Rich;  and  if  it  was  unreasonable  to 
muzzle  the  Ox  that  trod  out  the  Corn,  what  Name 
shall  I  give  the  Measures  that  render  it  so  difficult 
for  the  Bulk  of  Mankind,  to  answer  the  great  End 
of  Life,  that  of  raising  Families  to  stand  in  their 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  89 

Room  when  they  are  removed,  as  all  soon  must  be 
to  give  Place  to  succeeding  Generations  ? 

But  there  is  another  Thing,  which  would  mightily 
contribute  to  the  Reduction  of  Labour,  which  is,  the 
bringing  Fish  out  of  the  Sea  at  such  cheap  Rates, 
as  that  the  Poor  might  be  induced,  by  its  being 
cheaper  than  Meat,  to  make  it  a  good  Part  of  their 
common  Food;  and  as  we  are  inviron'd  by  the  Sea, 
which  will  furnish  never  the  less,  how  much  soever 
we  fetch  thence;  beside,  that  this  Food  requires  no 
Land,  except  to  grow  the  Timber,  &c.  to  build  the 
Vessels  with;  and  this  Food  is  no  sooner  caught, 
but  it  is  fit  for  Use,  and  therefore  requires  neither 
the  Time  nor  Labour,  that  all  other  Food  Mankind 
use  requires,  to  raise,  and  fit  it  for  Use;  I  say,  since 
we  are  inviron'd  with  the  Sea,  we  might  certainly 
bring  Fish  so  cheap  to  a  Multitude  of  inland  Places, 
if  the  Charge  of  catching  them,  and  Carriage  could 
be  very  much  lessened,  as  would  make  it  a  much 
larger  Part  of  the  Food  of  the  common  People 
than  it  is.  ||  89 

But  though  this  will,  in  the  first  Place,  somewhat 
depend  on  the  Reduction  of  Labour,  yet  I  appre- 
hend it  to  depend  as  much  at  least  on  making 
Timber  so  plentiful,  that,  if  possible,  the  Charge  of 
the  Vessels  they  fish  with,  may  be  lessened  about 
half  in  building,  and  fitting  them  to  Sea;  for  the 
greatest  Part  of  the  Price  of  Fish,  is  constituted  of 
the  Charge  of  building  and  maintaining  the  fishing 
Vessels  and  Tackle,  together  with  the  Interest  of 
the  Sums  such  Vessels,  &c.  cost,  which  are  employed 
in  the  Fishery.  Wherefore  could  these  Charges  be 
considerably  lessened,  which  a  great  Plenty  of 
Timber,  &c.  with  somewhat  cheaper  Rate  of  Labour 
would  certainly  effect,  we  might  make  Sea  Fish  so 
much  cheaper  Food  than  Meat,  as  would  contribute 


90  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

very  much  to  lowering  the  Price  of  Provisions  in 
general,  and  might  hereby  support  a  much  greater 
Number  of  People  on  less  Land  than  we  can  other- 
wise do;  and  it's  certain  the  Diitch,  who  have  about 
two  Millions  and  an  half  of  People,  upon  about  a 
Million  of  Acres  of  Land,  do  by  this  Means,  besides 
others,  very  much  contribute  to  the  supporting  such 
a  vastly  greater  Number  of  People  in  respect  of 
their  small  Territory,  than  we,  who  have  but  about 
eight  Millions  of  People,  and  hardly  less  than  twenty 
Millions  of  Acres  now  in  Use  to  support  them*; 
9° besides,  that  such  an  Encouragement ||  to  our  Fishery 
would  be  a  most  useful  Nursery  for  able  Seamen, 
and  a  Benefit  in  respect  of  our  Exportation  of  Fish, 
greater  than  I  shall  attempt  to  represent. 

But  this  Estimate  further  shews,  that  the  fit  Rule 
to  judge  and  determine  when  the  Necessaries  of 
Life  should  be  denominated  cheap  or  dear,  is  solely 
that  of  the  general  Earnings  or  Wages  of  the 
labouring  People,  which  undoubtedly  ought  to  be 
such  as  will  procure  so  many  of  those  Things  as  are 
needful  to  support  such  Families,  as  is  the  Lot  of 

*  Benjamin  Matte's  Philosophical  Transactions  abridged,11  Part  4.  Page 
24.  demonstrate  England  or  South  "Britain  to  contain  72,000  square  Miles, 
or  46,800,000  Acres;  he  also  says,  the  Province  of  Holland  is  computed 
to  contain  about  a  Million  of  Acres,  which  is  said  to  contain  2,400,000 
Souls,  so  that  England,  to  be  proportionably  populous,  must  have  no 
Millions  of  People;  but  he  says,  to  allow  Room  enough  for  Persons  of  all 
Degrees  under  our  'British  Monarchy,  if  England  were  half  as  populous 
as  Holland,  with  only  55  Millions  of  People,  it  were  a  good  Proportion, 
and  would  be  near  five  times  our  present  Number;  so  that  according  to 
him,  we  must  have  about  eleven  Millions  of  People  in  England. 

He  further  says,  that  to  people  England  with  this  Number,  viz.  55 
Millions,  there  are  sundry  Ways  very  practicably,  by  which  he  hath  com- 
puted, the  present  Number  may  be  doubled  in  24  or  25  Years,  and  prob- 
ably quadrupled  in  about  36  Years;  but  I  think  England  is  not  capable 
to  sustain  double  its  present  Number  of  Inhabitants,  because  it  is  un- 
doubtedly at  present  above  half  cultivated  and  improved,  yet  I  think  I 
have  made  it  evident,  we  have  not  near  Land  enough  in  Use  to  support 
its  present  Inhabitants. 

Dr.  John  Lawrence  in  his  new  System  of  Agriculture,  Page  45,  says, 
'tis  believed  that  almost  one  half  Part  of  the  Kingdom  is  Commons. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  91 

many  of  the  labouring  People  to  have.  From  hence 
therefore  we  may  also  see,  when  Money  is,  or  is  not 
sufficiently  plentiful  amongst  the  People  in  general, 
or  which  is  equivalent  thereto,  when  there  is,  or  is 
not  Land  enough  in  Use  to  support  them,  for  hence 
only  can  these  Things  be  brought  and  kept  near  to- 
gether, as  is  absolutely  needful  to  put  the  Affairs  of 
the  World,  and  Condition  of  Mankind  in  the  best 
and  happiest  Situation  they  can  possibly  be  in. 

For  whilst  a  Mechanick,  or  labouring  Man  can't 
possibly  earn  so  much,  as  will  provide  de  ||  cently  for  91 
a  middling  Family,  suitably  to  that  low  Rank  of 
Life;  it's  plain,  Money,  which  is  the  sole  Medium  of 
procuring  any  Thing,  is  so  much  too  scarce  amongst 
i  of  the  People  at  least;  or  which,  as  I  said,  is  the 
same  Thing  in  Effect,  that  there  is  not  Land  enough 
in  Use  to  support  them,  and  consequently,  there  is 
in  this  Case,  so  much  less  Business  and  Employ- 
ment amongst  the  People  in  general,  than  there 
ought  to  be;  whence  the  Distress  of  great  Numbers 
is  unavoidable:  And  Gentlemen  should  consider,  if 
I  of  the  People  must  labour  under  the  Penury  this 
Estimate  holds  forth  to  them,  what  a  Probability 
here  is,  that  many  of  their  own  Offspring,  in  a  Gene- 
ration or  two,  if  not  much  sooner,  will  find  them- 
selves in  no  better  Circumstances. 

And  hence  I  can't  help  reflecting  how  good  human 
Nature  is,  that  can  support  under  the  Hardships, 
we,  by  the  Estimate,  see  the  Bulk  of  Mankind  lies 
under;  which  Hardships,  I  think,  I  have  now  suffici- 
ently shewn,  cannot  be  any  Way  justly  attributed 
to  the  all-wise  and  infinitely  gracious  Creator,  but 
solely  to  those,  who  for  want  of  thus  looking  thro' 
the  Nature  of  Things,  and  from  a  mistaken  Judg- 
ment, that  the  more  Money  they  receive  for  their 
Estates,  the  richer  they  are  (the  contrary  of  which 


92  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

I  have  proved)  do  prevent  the  People  from  thus 
continually  proceeding  in  the  Business  of  Cultivation 
and  Tillage,  whence  alone  every  thing  they  have  is 
derived,  and  whence  only  whatsoever  they  want  can 
be  supplied,  and  whence  all  the  Employment  and 
Trade  of  the  World  do  proceed;  and  to  which  End 
92  it  was,  that  Man  was  sent  ||  into  the  World,  as  I  shall 
further  confirm,  by  the  Authority  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, Gen.  iii.  23.  Therefore  the  Lord  God  sent  him 
forth  to  till  the  Ground  whence  he  was  taken. 

But  I  shall  proceed  to  shew  from  Fact,  that  it  is 
the  Interest  of  the  landed  Gentlemen  to  cause  so 
much  more  Land  to  be  added  and  improved,  as  will 
effect  the  Things  I  am  aiming  at,  by  comparing  the 
present  Rents  of  Lands,  and  Prices  of  Necessaries, 
with  the  Rents  of  Lands,  and  Prices  of  Necessaries 
some  Centuries  ago. 

Now  though  the  Rents  of  Lands  are  very  different, 
according  as  the  Soil  or  Situation  is  better  or  worse  *, 
yet  it's  certain  the  present  Rents  of  Lands  in  general 
are  hardly  four  times  as  much  as  they  were  about 
four  Centuries  ago;  but  the  Prices  of  Necessaries 
differ  vastly:  For  the  Price  of  the  fat  Ox,  which  was 
a  Noble,  is  now  about  i  o  or  12  Pounds ;  the  fat  Sheep, 
which  was  6  Pence,  is  now  about  16  Shillings;  the  fat 
Goose,  which  was  2  Pence,  is  now  about  3  Shillings; 
the  fat  Pig,  which  was  i  Penny,  is  now  about  4  Shil- 
lings; the  Price  of  6  Pidgeons,  which  was  i  Penny,  is 
now  about  i  Shilling  and  6  Pence;  and  Wheat,  which 
was  2  Shillings  per  Quarter,  is  now  about  24  or  26 

*If  we  take  the  Rents  of  good  Lands  in  England,  at  a  Medium,  to  be 
about  10  Shillings  per  Acre,  and  the  Rents  of  bad  Lands,  at  a  Medium, 
to  be  about  two  Shillings  and  Sixpence  per  Acre,  and  that  their  Quantities 
are  near  equal,  then  the  Rents  of  Lands  will  be  about  6  Shillings  per  Acre 
now  at  a  Medium;  and  as  far  as  I  can  learn  6  or  7  Shillings  per  Acre  at 
Medium,  is  as  much  as  the  Lands  of  England  are  now  worth;  and  I  believe 
I  may  be  bold  to  say,  the  Lands  of  England,  at  a  Medium,  have  not  let  for 
less  than  one  Shilling  and  Six-pence  per  Acre  for  four  hundred  Years 
backwards. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  93 

Shillings  per  Quarter;  and  all  other  Things  differ  in 
such  Proportion.  Whence  it  appears,  these  ||  Things 93 
are  now  higher  in  Price  then  they  were  then,  from 
about  20  to  30  Times  and  upwards,  except  Wheat, 
which  I  suppose  Eras.  Phillips,  Esq;  in  his  State  of 
the  Nation,  &c.  Page  52.  accounts  for,  where  he 
says,  It's  observable,  Corn  hath  not  risen  in  propor- 
tion to  other  Commodities,  because  by  a  new- 
fashioned  Industry  the  same  Quantity  of  Ground  is 
more  productive  than  it  was.  Therefore  it's  plain  in 
fact  that  Gentlemen  are  vast  Losers  by  this  Advance 
of  their  Rents,  since  they,  in  common  with  all  other 
Consumers,  now  pay  on  the  Par  above  20  times  as 
much  for  every  thing  as  was  paid  for  the  same 
Things  about  four  Centuries  ago,  whilst  their  Rents 
are  not  above  four  times  as  much  as  they  were  then; 
therefore  it  must  be  mightily  for  the  Interest  of  the 
landed  Gentlemen,  to  cause  Land  enough  to  be 
added  and  improved,  to  put  Trade  into  a  flourishing 
State,  since  it  must  be  equally  certain,  that  every 
thing  will  fall  in  as  much  greater  Proportion  than 
the  Rents  will  fall,  as  it's  certainly  Fact,  every  thing 
is  risen  in  so  much  greater  Proportion  than  the 
Rents  have  been  raised. 

But  I  can't  pass  over  this  Fact  without  remarking, 
that  it  must  be  beneficial  to  Trade,  that  our  Princes, 
Nobility,  and  Gentry,  should  wear  the  richest  Gold 
and  Silver  Cloathing,  and  use  such  Utensils,  and 
adorn  their  Palaces  and  Houses  with  these  shining 
Metals,  as  much  as  the  Revenues  of  the  Crown,  or 
Income  of  the  Estates  of  the  Nobility  and  Gentry 
will  admit;  only  with  this  Difference,  that  crowned 
Heads  may  lay  out  this  Way,  whatever  the  Extent 
of  their  Revenues  will  allow;  but  the  Nobility  and  ((94 
Gentry  must  act  in  this,  with  such  Regard  to  their 
Families,  that  they  may  all  be  properly  provided 


94  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

for,  whilst  the  Heir  only  should  fill  up  such  splendid 
Appearances. 

The  Reason  of  which  is  this,  that  it  appears 
plainly  from  this  Discourse,  that  as  the  Gold  and 
Silver  (i.  e.  Money)  increases  in  greater  Proportion 
than  the  People  increase,  so  will  the  Prices  of  every 
thing  advance,  and  that  in  much  greater  Proportion 
than  the  Rents  will  or  can  rise;  wherefore  it  can't 
but  be  beneficial  even  for  Trade,  that  as  much  of 
these  Metals  be  used  in  Splendor,  as  is  consistent 
with  the  abovementioned  Circumstances;  because 
by  thus  keeping  so  much  of  those  Metals  out  of 
Trade,  the  more  just  Distinction  will  it  keep  up 
amongst  the  several  Ranks  and  Stations  of  Men  *, 
whilst  at  the  same  time  it  will  give  so  much  greater 
Employment,  and  that  in  the  most  nice  and  curious 
Arts,  to  Mechanicks,  &c.  and  prevent  our  Markets 
from  rising  so  high,  as  to  hinder  the  Exportation  of 
our  Commodities,  or  give  too  great  Encouragement 
to  the  Importation  of  foreign  Goods. 

I  am  induced  to  make  this  Remark,  from  the 
Practice  of  the  East-Indians,  who,  as  I  have  often 
heard,  carry  this  Matter  so  far,  as  to  bury  the  Money 

95  they  get  by  Trade;  as  E.  Phillips,  ||  Esq;  Page  7.  also 
says,  that  they  have  since  the  Year  1602,  buried 
above  1 50  Millions  of  Silver,  which  hath  been  brought 

96  in  to  Europe^.  || 

*  Money  is  the  Tradesman's  working  Tools,  without  which  he  can't 
proceed  in  Trade  at  all;  therefore,  since  the  Increase  of  Money  amongst 
the  People  will  increase  the  Price  of  Things  in  greater  Proportion  than 
the  Rents  can  be  raised,  the  more  Money  circulates  in  Trade,  the  more 
must  the  Traders  have  in  their  Hands  to  carry  it  on;  and  this  will  neces- 
larily  raise  Tradesmen  so  much  nearer  the  Rank  of  Gentry,  as  the  Quantity 
of  Cash  they  circulate  is  greater  in  Proportion  to  the  Rents,  than  it  would 
be  if  the  Prices  of  Things  were  kept  lower,  the  Way  above  suggested. 

1 1  would  by  no  means  have  us  follow  their  Example  of  burying  our 
Money,  any  further,  than  that  every  Man  should  be  his  own  Banker,  that 
is,  I  would  have  no  publick  Banking  any  ways  encouraged;  nor  any  Com- 
panies ever  incorporated;  because,  besides  many  Evils  that  necessarily  adhere 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  95 

'Tis  by  this  Practice  they  keep^all  their  Goods 
and  Manufactures  at  such  low  Rates,  that  all  Europe 
thinks  it  not  only  worth  while  to  trade  with  them, 
but  to  carry  prodigious  Quantities  of  Silver*  to 

to  all  trading  Corporations,  their  Stock  and  Bonds  have  the  same  Effects 
as  banking,  -z'/'z.  operating  two  Ways  at  the  same  time,  in  their  Trade, 
and  in  our  Markets;  so  that  any  thing  can  always  be  bought  with  them, 
just  as  if  such  Paper  were  Gold  and  Silver;  I  say,  I  would  therefore  have 
none  of  these  Things  encouraged;  and  then  if  Property  were  but  sufficiently 
diffused  amongst  the  People  in  general,  we  might  sleep  very  safe  with 
large  Sums  under  slender  Fastenings;  for  it  is  Necessity  which  makes 
Thieves. 

Now  if  every  Man  were  his  own  Banker,  and  Trade  put  on  so  good  a 
Foot,  as  to  diffuse  Property  so  effectually,  that  every  industrious  and 
prudent  Tradesman,  though  his  Circumstances  were  not  great,  might  get 
Money,  there  would  soon  be  Millions  locked  up  in  the  Hands  of  the 
People  of  this  Kingdom;  and  as  this  is  the  fit  and  natural  Way  of  burying 
Money,  so  this  would  reduce  the  Price  of  our  Goods  below  the  Kates, 
which  the  Cash,  if  it  were  all  afloat,  would  support  them  at;  and  which 
now  by  Banking  and  other  artificial  Moneys,  /.  e.  Paper  Effects  having 
the  Operation  of  Money,  are  certainly,  vastly  above  the  Kates  which  the 
real  Specie  itself,  which  we  have  now  amongst  us,  would  support  them  at. 

But  perhaps  the  Merchants  may  object,  they  can't  do  so  much  Business 
without  more  Hands,  if  there  were  no  Banking  at  all;to  which  I  answer, 
that  such  as  have  so  much  Business  as  to  require  a  Hand  the  more  on  that 
Account,  must  employ  one;  yet  I  will  mention  a  Practice  in  Holland  well 
known  to  many  of  our  Merchants.  The  Merchants  in  Holland,  frequently 
make  large  Payments  in  a  coarse,  and  therefore  a  bulky  Sort  of  Specie, 
called  Ses  d'Halve,  which  they  deliver  each  other  in  Bags  unopened,  con- 
taining 375  Guldens,  and  numbered,  or  ticketed  without  Side  so  many, 
and  also  weighing  so  much,  which  they  may  tell  over  at  home  if  they 
please,  and  if  any  thing  is  found  short,  the  Merchant  that  paid  it,  on  tell- 
ing him  how  much  it  fell  short,  immediately,  without  any  Questions,  makes 
it  good;  and  if  there  be  an  Overplus,  they  always  reckon  themselvesobliged 
to  carry  that  Overplus  to  the  Owner.  This  honourable  Way  of  dealing  in 
the  valuable  Article  of  Money,  may  possibly  seem  strange  to  us,  who  are 
not  used  to  it;  but  I  believe  if  we  had  no  Banking,  and  our  Specie  were 
as  coarse  and  bulky  as  theirs,  the  Merchants  would  soon  find  it  convenient 
to  introduce  this  Practice  amongst  them,  and  no  doubt  would  discharge 
it  as  honourably;  and  then  large  Payments  might  be  made  almost  as  quick 
as  Draughts  on  the  Bankers  with  the  Entries  they  occasion,  and  the  neces- 
sary Settlements  with  the  Bankers  about  them  afterwards;  besides,  that  the 
vast  Damage  arising  by  Failure  of  Bankers,  would  this  Way  be  intirely 
prevented. 

*  The  Indians  are  so  politick,  as  to  take  only  or  chiefly  Silver,  because 
it's  next  to  impossible  it  should  ever  be  so  plentiful,  as  to  reduce  its  Value 
in  respect  of  Gold,  which  to  be  sure  they  know  to  be  continually  growing 
so  plentiful  in  Europe,  as  to  lower  its  Value  in  respect  of  Silver;  besides 
Silver  being  of  so  much  less  Value  than  Gold  can't  be  much  diminished 
but  it  will  be  obvious;  nor  is  there  near  the  Temptation  to  counterfeit  it. 

What  is  it  therefore,  which  infatuates  us  and  other  Nations  to  such  a 
Degree,  as  to  carry  the  Indians  almost  all  our  Silver?  The  Author  of  the 


96  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

purchase  their  Commodities,  whilst  our  Goods  can- 
not possibly  find  much  Vend  with  them,  being  so 
much  dearer  than  theirs,  as  we  see  the  great  Circu- 
lation of  Gold  amongst  us,  makes  our  Goods  in  re- 
spect of  the  Prices  of  theirs,  who  this  Way  prevent 
the  Money  they  gain  by  Trade  from  raising  the 
Prices  of  their  Commodities. 

Thus  will  they  not  only  always  preserve  the  Bal- 
ance of  Trade  in  their  Favour,  but  make  many 
other  Nations  carry  their  Money  to  them;  besides 
what  Use  they  may  make  of  such  immense  Wealth, 
if  any  Exigence  or  Design  should  oblige  them  to 
use  it;  which  Wealth  is  as  many  times  more  power- 
9?ful  to  them  than  it  ||  would  be  to  us,  as  the  Wages 
of  their  labouring  People  are  lower  than  ours. 

But  an  Objection  arises  here,  which  though  it 
allows,  that  if  all  the  Things  our  Gentry  consume 
and  use  were  our  own  natural  Produce,  they  would, 
as  I  have  proved,  be  the  richer  for  executing  this 
Proposal;  yet  since  they  consume  so  many  foreign 
Goods,  as  perhaps  constitute  half  their  Expence, 
viz.  Teas,  Sugars,  Fruits,  Linens,  Cambrick,  Laces, 
Wines,  &c.  the  Prices  of  which  depend  so  much  on 
what  they  cost  at  the  Places  they  are  brought  from, 
that  they  can  receive  but  little  Alteration  by  the 
Execution  of  this  Proposal;  the  Gentry  therefore 
will  not  be  the  richer  for  such  a  Reduction  of  Labour, 
and  Prices  of  our  natural  Produce,  as  would  hereby 
be  effected. 

To  which  I  answer,  That  all  Nations  have  some 
Commodities  peculiar  to  them,  which  therefore  are 

Plan  of  the  English  Commerce,  zd  Edition  printed  1730,"  will  answer  this 
Question  for  me;  for  Page  65,  he  says,  China  and  India,  and  other  Eastern 
Countries  have  the  most  extended  Manufactures,  and  the  greatest  Variety 
of  them  in  the  World;  and  their  Manufactures  push  themselves  on  the 
World  by  the  meer  Stress  of  their  Cheapness,  which  causes  their  Consump- 
tion; and  Page  66,  he  says,  the  Wages  of  their  labouring  People  do  not 
exceed  two  Pence  Sterling  per  Day. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  97 

undoubtedly  designed  to  be  the  Foundation  of 
Commerce  between  the  several  Nations,  and  pro- 
duce a  great  deal  of  Employment  by  maritime 
Affairs,  &c.  for  Mankind,  which  probably,  without 
such  Peculiarities,  could  not  be;  and  in  this  Respect, 
I  suppose  we  are  distinguished,  as  well  as  other 
Nations;  and  I  have  before  taken  Notice,  that  if  one 
Nation  be  by  Nature  more  distinguished  in  this 
Respect  than  another,  as  they  will  by  that  Means 
gain  more  Money  than  such  other  Nations,  so  the 
Prices  of  all  their  Commodities  and  Labour  will  be 
higher  in  such  Proportion,  as  my  fourth  Maxim 
demonstrates;  and  consequently,  they  will  not  be  a 
Jot  the  richer  or  more  powerful  for  having  more 
Money  than  their  Neighbours.  ||  9g 

But  if  we  import  any  kind  of  Goods  cheaper  than 
we  can  now  raise  them,  which  otherwise  might  as 
well  be  raised  at  home;  in  this  Case,  undoubtedly, 
'tis  indispensably  necessary  for  us  to  practise  the 
Method  I  prescribe,  which  is  the  only  one,  by  which 
we  ever  can  be  enabled  to  raise  all  such  Commodi- 
ties at  home,  and  thereby  furnish  so  many  new 
Branches  of  Employment  and  Trade  for  our  own 
People,  and  remove  the  Inconvenience  of  receiving 
any  Goods  from  abroad,  which  we  can  any  ways 
raise  on  as  good  Terms  our  selves;  and  as  this  should 
be  done  to  prevent  every  Nation  from  finding  their 
Account  with  us,  by  any  such  Commodities  whatso- 
ever, so  this  would  more  effectually  shut  out  all  such 
foreign  Goods  than  any  Law  can  do. 

And  as  this  is  all  the  Prohibition  and  Restraint, 
whereby  any  foreign  Trade  should  be  obstructed, 
so  if  this  Method  be  continually  observed  and  prac- 
tised, as  it  most  certainly  ought,  our  Gentry  would 
find  themselves  the  richer,  notwithstanding  their 
Consumption  of  such  other  foreign  Goods,  as  being 


98  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

the  Peculiarities  of  other  Nations,  we  may  be  obliged 
to  import.  For  if,  when  we  have  increased  our  Pro- 
duce to  so  great  a  Degree,  as  to  reduce  the  Rates 
of  Labour  considerably  too,  and  have  thereby  ena- 
bled ourselves  to  raise  many  Kinds  of  Goods,  which 
we  now  import,  cheaper  than  we  now  import  them, 
which  is  the  necessary  Consequence  of  executing 
this  Proposal;  I  say,  when  we  have  thus  raised  all 
we  can  at  home,  and  thereby  put  our  Trade  into  a 
flourishing  State,  the  Goods  we  import  after  this  is 
99  done,  being  cheaper  ||  than  we  can  raise  such  Goods 
ourselves,  which  they  must  be,  or  we  shall  not  im- 
port them;  I  say,  it's  plain  the  Consumption  of  any 
such  Goods  cannot  occasion  so  great  an  Expence, 
as  they  would  if  we  could  shut  them  out,  by  an  Act 
of  Parliament,  to  raise  them  ourselves.  If  therefore 
it  would  be  true,  as  the  Objection  allows,  that  the 
Gentry  would  be  the  richer  for  executing  this  Pro- 
posal, if  all  the  Goods  they  consume  and  use  were 
the  natural  Produce  of  our  own  Country,  they  must 
be  so,  notwithstanding  their  Consumption  of  any 
Quantity  of  foreign  Goods,  which  we  can  import  and 
sell  at  cheaper  Rates  than  we  can  possibly  raise 
them  ourselves;  for  none  but  such  cheaper  foreign 
Goods,  can  ever  find  a  Vend  in  any  Nation,  except 
they  be  the  Peculiarities  of  other  foreign  Nations; 
to  which  I  have  given  a  full  Answer  above. 

From  hence  therefore  it  must  appear,  that  it  is 
impossible  any  body  should  be  the  poorer,  for  using 
any  foreign  Goods  at  cheaper  Rates  than  we  can 
raise  them  ourselves,  after  we  have  done  all  we 
possibly  can  to  raise  such  Goods  as  cheap  as  we 
import  them,  and  find  we  cannot  do  it;  nay  this  very 
Circumstance  makes  all  such  Goods  come  under  the 
Character  of  the  Peculiarities  of  those  Countries, 
which  are  able  to  raise  any  such  Goods  cheaper  than 
we  can  do;  for  they  will  necessarily  operate  as  such. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  99 

8t/ify,  The  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this 
Proposal,  is  the  only  Means  by  which  Property  can 
be  reasonably  and  sufficiently  diffused  amongst  all 
Ranks  of  People.  For  whilst  the  working  People 
have  not  sufficient  and  full  Em  ||  ployment*,  their  100 
Labour,  like  all  other  Things,  whose  Quantity  is 
greater  than  the  Demand  for  them,  must  be  disposed 
of  below  its  true  and  just  Value;  which  I  have  shewn 
is,  or  ought  to  be,  as  near  as  possible,  so  much  as 
will  produce  a  comfortable  Subsistence  for  a  Family, 
suitable  to  that  Rank  of  Life:  Now  so  long  as  these 
in  general  work  so  considerably  below  this  Point, 
that  their  Wages  are  generally  insufficient  to  support 
such  a  Family,  as  the  Estimate  supposes  them  to 
have,  Property  is  evidently  not  so  much  diffused,  as 
in  the  Nature  and  Reason  of  Things  it  ought  to  be; 
which  will  necessarily  be  attended  with  many  Kinds 
of  Evils,  in  Proportion  to  the  Degree,  which  the 
working  Peoples  Wages  fall  short  of  the  Point 
abovementioned:  For  hence  the  Wealthy  having 
the  working  Peoples  Labour  and  Skill  so  much  too 
cheap,  do  not  only  engross  that  Property,  in  which 
the  labouring  People  have  a  just  and  natural  Right, 
so  far  as  their  Wages  fall  short  of  the  End  aforesaid, 
but  they  hereby  accumulate  a  great  deal  of  Wealth, 
in  which  the  middling  People  have  a  reasonable  and 
natural  Property;  and  many  of  them  who  understand 
Trade,  are  enabled  by  the  Force  of  such  unequal 
Wealth,  to  trade  on  Terms  too  low  to  admit  many 
of  the  middling  People  to  get  a  Livelihood,  suitable 

*  If  there  were  full  Employment  for  the  working  People,  their  Wages 
would  as  certainly  rise  to  the  just  Value  of  Labour,  as  we  know  every  thing 
else  doth,  for  which  the  Demand  is  equal  to  the  Quantity;  and  therefore 
I  deny  that  there  is  Work  enough  to  employ  the  People,  or  that  Property 
is  reasonably  or  sufficiently  diffused,  till  Necessaries  are  rendered  so  plenti- 
ful, and  thereby  so  cheap,  that  the  Wages  of  the  labouring  Man  will  pur- 
chase as  many  of  them  as  the  decent  and  comfortable  Support  of  a  middling 
Family  requires  in  that  Station  of  Life. 


ioo  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

ioito  their  Rank  and  ||  Station:  For  instance,  suppose 
a  Man  in  Trade  worth  10000  /.  and  the  Reduction 
of  Interest  hath  actually  brought  too  many  such  into 
several  Retail  Trades;  I  say,  suppose  such  a  one, 
in  order  to  turn  his  Stock  once  in  the  Year,  will  vend 
his  Goods  at  10  per  Cent,  profit,  this  will  produce 
1000  /.  per  Annum-,  now  let  another  in  the  same 
Way  of  Trade  worth  1000  /.  sell  at  the  same  Rate 
(as  he  must,  or  have  very  little  Business)  and  let  him 
be  supposed  (because  a  less  Stock  may  commonly 
be  oftener  return'd  than  a  greater)  to  turn  his  Stock 
twice  a  Year;  which,  since  giving  Credit  is  become 
so  general,  is  as  often  as  such  a  Stock  in  Retail 
Trade  can  generally  be  returned;  this  though  it 
produces  20  /.  per  Cent,  on  this  Capital,  or  200 1.  per 
Annum,  shall  hereafter  be  shewn  to  be  very  insuffi- 
cient to  bear  all  Charges  of  Trade,  and  support  a 
middling  Family,  so  as  it  is  undoubtedly  reasonable 
such  a  Family  should  live,  for  whose  Support  1000  /. 
of  their  own  Money  is  employed  in  Trade:  Whilst 
the  other  making  10  per  Cent,  on  his  large  Capital, 
may  still  more  and  more  encrease  it,  at  the  same 
time  that  he  is  bringing  on  the  Ruin  of  many  that 
have  but  middling  Capitals.  Hence  therefore  it  must 
appear,  that  not  only  the  labouring  Mechanicks,  but 
many  of  the  middling  People  must  with  them  be 
dispossessed  of  that  Property,  which  their  Rank  in 
Life,  and  the  Good  of  the  Community,  naturally  in- 
title  them  too,  for  that  Community  will  always  be 
most  powerful,  and  most  happy,  that  abounds  most 
with  middling  People;  and  as  there  is  no  Means,  by 
which  Property  can  be  diffused  amongst  the  People 

102  in  ||  general,  except  that  I  am  pointing  out,  so  I 
think  it  self-evident,  that  this  Means  cannot  fail  of 
diffusing  Property,  amongst  all  Ranks  of  People,  to 
such  a  Degree,  as  that  all,  that  will  be  industrious, 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  101 

and  careful,  may  be  comfortably  supported  accord- 
ing to  the  several  Ranks  and  Stations,  in  which 
Providence  may  think  fit  to  cast  them;  and  when- 
ever Property  is  thus  diffused,  it  is  not  only  suffi- 
ciently diffused,  but  involves  all  the  Happiness  the 
Nature  of  Things  is  capable  of  producing  to  Man- 
kind; so  that  whatever  Difference  there  shall  then 
be  in  the  Circumstances,  Conditions,  and  Ranks  of 
Men,  they  will  only  be  such  as  the  Author  of  Nature 
designed,  and  such  as  are  inseparably  connected 
with  civil  Government,  in  which  there  must  neces- 
sarily be  high  and  low,  as  long  as  Government 
subsists. 

gtkly,  The  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this 
Proposal,  is  the  only  natural  or  possible  Means,  by 
which  Luxury,  so  far  as  it  is  injurious  to  Society,  can 
be  removed. 

I  don't  call  that  State,  Equipage,  or  Way  of  Liv- 
ing, which  is  suitable  to  the  Rank  or  Condition  of  a 
Man,  Luxury  hurtful  to  Society,  how  pompous  so- 
ever, if  it  be  contained  within  the  Limits  of  his 
Estate,  to  such  a  Degree,  as  will  admit  of  his  mak- 
ing such  Provision  for  his  Family,  as  his  Rank  and 
Dignity  requires;  for  I  think  such  State  and  Way 
of  Living  necessary  and  useful  to  Society,  whilst  it's 
confined  within  the  Bounds  aforesaid. 

Therefore  as  that  Man  only  can  be  called  luxurious, 
in  a  Sense  hurtful  to  Society,  who  exceeds  these 
Bounds;  so  a  Nation  only  can  be  ||  said  to  be  luxu-I03 
rious,  when  the  People  too  generally  exceed  in  this 
Respect.  That  this  may  possibly  be  the  Case  of  a 
Nation,  I  shall  take  for  granted,  and  admit,  that  one 
must  be  reduced  to  Distress,  as  sure  as  the  other. 

Now  the  Cause  of  such  general  or  national  Luxury, 
is  solely  owing  to  too  great  an  Inequality  of  Property, 
by  which  too  many  are  enabled  to  live  excessively 


IO2  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

splendid,  whilst  the  rest,  having  much  less  than  they 
want,  are  too  much  depress'd  and  sunk;  so  that 
whilst  one  Side  are  almost  adored  for  their  Wealth, 
the  other  are  almost  abhorred  for  their  Poverty; 
and  as  this  makes  the  Gap  much  too  wide  between 
these  Extreams,  it  can't  be  expected,  but  that  the 
adored  Part  of  Mankind  will  necessarily  be  imitated, 
beyond  proper  Limits,  by  most  of  those  between 
these  Extreams;  and  this  compleats  the  Notion  of 
Luxury  hurtful  to  Society. 

But  were  Property  to  be  so  diffused,  as  I  have 
shewn  it  may  and  ought,  the  Labour,  &c.  of  the 
People  would  not  come  on  Terms  so  unreasonably 
low,  as  to  support  such  Excess  on  the  one  Hand, 
or  to  depress  and  sink  the  rest  too  much  on  the 
other:  Nay,  diffusing  Property  as  aforesaid,  will  not 
only  remove  Luxury  so  far  as  it  is  hurtful  to  Society, 
but  will  in  general  extinguish  all  Kinds  of  Vice  to- 
gether with  it.  For  this  too  great  Inequality  of 
Property,  I  have  now  represented,  is  the  sole  Source, 
whence  they  all  spring;  and  Solomon,  the  wisest  of 
Men,  hath  determined  this  of  the  Poor,  who  are  the 
Bulk  of  Mankind,  when  he  says,  as  in  the  Motto  I 
have  chosen  to  this  Essay;  The  Destruction  of  the 
l°*Poor  is  their  Poverty.  But  sure,  Destruction  ||  was 
never  justly  attributed  to  any  other  Cause  than  Vice; 
wherefore  Poverty  and  Vice  must  according  to 
Solomon  be  necessarily  connected;  and,  I  think,  Ex- 
cess of  Affluence  must  be  so  too,  since  it  is  but 
changing  Solomons  Determination  to  the  other  Ex- 
tream. 

But  that  I  may  fully  prove,  that  the  Execution  of 
this  Proposal  will  certainly  remove  Luxury,  so  far  as 
it's  hurtful  to  Society,  which  is  all  the  Concern  we 
need  in  the  present  Case  have  about  it;  I  assert, 
that  a  middling  Family  in  London,  will  in  a  very 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  103 

moderate  Way  of  Living,  in  the  middling  Station  of 
Life,  require  about  400  /.  per  Annum  to  maintain 
and  make  Provision  for  them,  as  by  a  subsequent 
Estimate  shall  be  made  appear:  Now  this  Sum  is 
undoubtedly  as  much  more  than  the  People  in  the 
middling  Rank  of  Life  can  generally  get,  as  the 
Wages  of  the  labouring  People  are  less  than  the 
Estimate  for  such  a  Family  shews  to  be  needful; 
therefore  I  insist,  as  I  have  before  shewn,  that  if  the 
Produce  of  the  Ground  were  augmented  about  half, 
the  Wants  of  the  People  are  great  enough  to  con- 
sume it  all,  and  that  without  living  in  the  least  luxu- 
riously; since  by  both  Estimates  it  appears,  only 
necessary  Things  are  allowed  for  the  two  Stations 
of  Life,  in  which  almost  all  Mankind  are  included. 
For  the  Number  of  those  above  the  lower  and  mid- 
dling Stations,  are  undoubtedly  few  in  Comparison 
to  the  Numbers,  which  must  be  included  within  the 
Bounds  of  these  Estimates:  If  therefore  the  Produce 
of  the  Earth  would  be  wanted  and  consumed,  though 
it  were  augmented  to  so  great  a  Degree  as  half; 
and  if,  as  I  have  before  shewn,  ||  it  is  perhaps  not  105 
possible  to  increase  it  so  much;  and  if,  however, 
what  we  can  do  to  augment  it  makes  Plenty,  and 
the  Nature  of  Plenty  be  such  as  necessarily  to  bring 
those  Things  into  the  Power  of  the  middling  and 
lower  People,  who  are  those  only  that  stand  in  need 
of  them;  if  these  Things  are  so,  how  is  it  possible 
there  should  be  any  general  or  national  Luxury 
amongst  the  People,  since  we  can't  make  the  Earth 
produce  so  much  as  will  support  or  cause  it?  Nay, 
since  the  Method  of  increasing  the  Produce,  natur- 
ally and  necessarily  diffuses  the  Increase  amongst 
the  lower  and  middling  People  who  alone  want  it; 
it  must  be  plain,  that  this  must  remove  Luxury,  so 
far  as  it's  hurtful  to  Society;  and  also,  that  Luxury 


iO4  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

is  founded  in  too  great  an  Inequality  of  Property, 
as  I  have  asserted:  And  hence  also  it  must  appear, 
that  Luxury  is  not  the  Cause  but  the  Effect  of  a 
Decay  of  Trade,  since  a  Decay  of  Trade  is  nothing 
else  but  the  Bulk  of  the  Peoples  wanting  many 
Things,  which  they  ought  to  have,  and  which,  for 
want  of  sufficient  Employment  and  Business,  it  is 
out  of  their  Power  to  procure. 

lothly,  The  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this 
Proposal,  will  prevent  too  great  a  Reduction  of  the 
Interest  of  Money;  because  the  continual  inclosing 
and  improving  so  much  waste  Land,  as  will  be  need- 
ful for  the  Purposes  laid  down  in  this  Essay,  will 
not  only  make  abundance  of  Estates  to  be  purchased, 
which  are  now  not  worth  one  fourth,  perhaps,  of 
what  they  will  be  when  improved,  but  will  raise  such 
vast  Quantities  of  Produce,  and  consequently  Manu- 
io6factures,  to  invest  that  Money  in,  which  the  Go-  || 
vernment  may  from  Time  to  Time  be  paying  off; 
which  Money,  if  this  Way  be  not  provided  for  em- 
ploying and  investing  it,  must  again  come  to  Market 
to  find  Interest;  whereby  the  Plenty  of  Money,  seek- 
ing Interest,  will  be  so  great,  that  Interest  must 
sink,  or,  which  is  equivalent,  the  Premiums  on 
Money  at  Interest  advance,  in  such  Proportion  as 
the  Plenty  of  Money  seeking  Interest  shall  increase; 
which  Premiums,  with  the  Interest  thereof,  must  in 
the  End  be  lost,  in  consideration  of  receiving  three 
or  four  per  Cent,  for  a  Time,  instead  of  such  Interest, 
as  the  Plenty  of  Money  seeking  Interest  would 
naturally  bear. 

But  the  executing  this  Proposal  is  absolutely  need 
ful,  as  it  is  the  only  Means,  whereby  the  Price  of 
all  Things  can  be  lowered  in  such  Proportion  as  the 
publick  Securities  shall  be  paid  off:  For  these  having 
now  the  Operation  of  Money,  keep  up  the  Price  of 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  105 

all  Things  in  Proportion  to  their  Quantity,  which, 
as  they  shall  from  Time  to  Time  be  paid  off  and 
annihilated,  will  be  found  to  have  just  the  same 
Effect  in  lowering  the  Price  of  every  thing,  as 
as  if  the  Nation  had  really  lost  so  much  Gold  and 
Silver.  And  though  I  think  this  self-evident,  yet  I 
shall  quote  E.  Phillips,  Esq;  to  support  me,  who, 
Page  42,  says,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  in  the 
Year  1750,  or  thereabouts,  when  we  may  suppose 
the  whole  national  debts  paid  off,  and  all  the  Paper 
Effects,  which  now  have  the  Operation  of  Money, 
annihilated,  all  Goods  will  fall  in  their  Price;  because 
these  Paper  Effects  being  then  sunk,  their  Opera- 
tion must  cease  of  Course.  For  as  the  Value  of 
Commodities  has  ||  risen,  by  the  Increase  of  Gold 
and  Silver  within  these  1 50  Years,  so  would  they  of 
Necessity  fall  in  their  Price,  if  our  Gold  and  Silver 
were  considerably  diminished;  the  Consequence 
must  be  the  same,  if  there  is  a  Diminution  of  that 
which  hath  the  Operation  of  Money. 

'Tis  true,  as  he  further  says,  That  as  the  Taxes 
will  be  abated,  as  the  national  Debts  are  paid  off, 
so  the  Prices  of  Goods  will  fall  in  Proportion  to  the 
Abatement  of  the  Impost  on  them;  yet  this  will  by 
no  means  suffer  the  Prices  of  Things  to  fall  in  Pro- 
portion to  the  sinking  such  a  prodigious  Value  of 
Paper  Effects,  as  at  present  operate  with  the  full 
Force  of  Money  amongst  us;  for  these  being  several 
Times  as  great  as  our  real  Specie,  must,  by  the 
aforesaid  Rule,  when  sunk,  make  all  Things  fall  in 
such  Proportion,  unless  our  real  Specie  can  be  aug- 
mented in  the  Interim  to  prevent  it;  and  this,  I 
doubt  not,  but  it  certainly  will,  if  the  Way  I  have 
pointed  out,  be  heartily  and  sufficiently  persued. 

\\thly,  The  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this 
Proposal,  will  enable  the  Government  to  reduce  the 
national  Debts,  and  ease  the  Taxes. 


io6  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

For  as  the  Produce  of  the  Earth,  and  Consump- 
tion thereof,  will  certainly  be  greatly  encreased, 
which  Things  always  go  together,  the  Revenue  must, 
I  think,  increase  too ;  since  the  Malt  Tax,  Excise  on 
Beer,  Duty  on  Leather  and  Tallow,  and  whatever 
other  Parts  of  the  Produce  are  taxed,  would  evidently 
be  as  much  augmented  as  the  Produce  and  Con- 
sumption of  these  would  be  augmented ;  and  if  at 
the  same  time  the  Circumstances  of  the  People  will 
be  generally  a  ||  mended,  as  I  hope  I  have  sufficiently 
made  out ;  as  they  will  thereby  be  better  able  to  pay 
these  and  all  other  Taxes,  so  every  thing  being  by 
the  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this  Proposal 
made  considerably  cheaper,  which  will  as  certainly 
attend  the  Execution  thereof,  it's  plain,  the  Govern- 
ment will  be  able  to  effect  every  thing  with  as  much 
less  Money  as  the  Price  of  Labour  and  Goods  of  all 
Kinds  will  hence  be  reduced,  and  therefore  will 
certainly  have  a  Surplus  of  Revenue  arising  not 
only  by  the  Augmentation  thereof,  but  by  being 
enabled  to  effect  every  thing,  that  they  may  have 
Occasion  to  do,  with  much  less  Sums  than  they  can 
now  effect  those  Things  ;  and  sure  this  Difference, 
which  will  certainly  be  very  considerable,  if  suffi- 
ciently pursued,  may  be  applied  to  reduce  the 
national  Debts,  and  ease  the  Taxes. 

But  perhaps  it  will  be  objected;  that  to  effect  this 
Proposal,  the  Land-tax  will  lessen  with  the  Rents 
of  Lands,  whence  the  Revenue  must  in  this  Branch 
of  it  diminish.  I  answer;  that  most  of  the  Counties 
are  able,  with  f  of  the  Tax  on  Land,  to  raise  the 
Quota's  assess'd  on  them.  And  Eras.  Phillips, 
Esq ;  p.  44,  supposes  all  the  Lands  in  the  Kingdom 
not  to  be  assess'd  at  above  half  their  Value;  and  if 
so,  their  Quotas,  notwithstanding  the  Fall  of  Rents, 
may  be  still  kept  up ;  but  if  we  add  the  Land-tax, 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  107 

that  may  be  further  raised  on  so  great  an  Addition 
of  Land,  as  must  every  Year  be  further  put  into 
Use  and  cultivated,  to  hold  the  needful  Proportion 
to  the  natural  Increase  of  Mankind,  and  effect  the 
Things  I  am  contending  for ;  this  Addition  of  the 
Land-tax  will,  undoubtedly,  con  ||  tribute  so  much  toI09 
the  preventing  any  Diminution  of  this  Branch  of  the 
Revenue,  that,  I  think,  we  need  have  no  Apprehen- 
sions about  this  Matter.  And  if  the  People  will 
encrease  as  Trade  is  relieved  and  enlarged,  which 
is  a  Truth  known  even  to  a  Maxim,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  Revenue  will  certainly,  in  the  whole, 
soon  be  augmented,  and  also  in  this  Branch  of  it. 

But  because  the  Land,  that  shall  be  further  put 
to  Use,  will  be  more  in  Proportion  in  some  Counties 
than  others,  perhaps  this  may  make  a  new  Assess- 
ment of  the  Land-tax  needful ;  which  therefore  in 
such  Case  should  be  done. 

I  can't  dismiss  this  Head  without  shewing,  that  if 
all  the  Taxes  were  taken  off  Goods,  and  levied  on 
Lands  and  Houses  only,  the  Gentlemen  would  have 
more  nett  Rent  left  out  of  their  Estates,  than  they 
have  now  the  Taxes  are  almost  wholly  levied  on 
Goods. 

The  national  Debt  is  supposed  to  be  near  50 
Millions ;  the  Interest  of  which,  at  4  per  Cent,  is 
two  Millions:  And  I  further  suppose,  two  Millions 
more  may  be  near  as  much  as  is  raised  for  the 
current  Service  of  the  Year,  in  these  times  of  Peace; 
this  together  makes  four  Millions  per  Annum,  which 
must  be  raised  nett  for  the  Government. 

The  Rental  of  the  Kingdom,  though  it's  at  present 
assess'd  but  at  10,  is  well  known  to  be  20  Millions 
per  Annum*;  so  that  if  the  Land  were  fully  assess'd 

*  E.  Phillips,  Page  44,  says,  I  believe  I  shall  be  allowed  to  compute 
the  Rents  of  the  Kingdom  at  20  Millions. 


io8  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

(as  it  certainly  ought  if  it  can  be  proved  that  the 
Land  must  pay  all  the  Taxes,  however  the  Manner 
no  of  collecting  them  ||  be  varied)  four  Shillings  in  the 
Pound  would  raise  the  whole  Supply  of  four  Millions, 
except  the  Charge  of  collecting  it,  which  by  Way  of 
Land-tax  being  found  to  be  but  about  6  Pence  in 
the  Pound,  or  i\  per  Cent,  will  make  but  100,000  /. 
more. 

But  let  us  see  what  it  will  cost  the  Nation  to  raise 
four  Millions  per  Annum  on  Goods. 

I  suppose  we  have  hardly  less  than  1 5,000  Persons 
employed,  in  the  Kingdom,  and  upon  the  Coasts 
thereof,  to  collect,  manage,  and  look  after  the  Reve- 
nue in  every  Respect,  besides  a  considerable  Number 
of  Vessels ;  the  Charge  of  which,  and  Salaries  of  all 
these  Officers  of  every  Class,  together  with  the  Per- 
quisites they  receive  from  the  People,  which  affect 
the  Price  of  Goods  just  as  if  it  were  all  nett  Duty 
paid  into  the  Treasury ;  all  these  Charges  taken 
together,  I  suppose,  may  very  moderately  be  rec- 
koned equal  to  100  /.  per  Annum,  at  a  Medium,  for 
each  of  those  Persons.  So  that  the  Nation  is  thus 
necessarily  put  to  a  Million  and  an  half  Charge  by 
these  Officers;  and  if  we  suppose  the  Duties  on 
Goods,  and  the  Charge  of  collecting  them,  to  be 
equal  to  \  of  the  gross  Value  of  them,  then  the 
gross  Value  will  at  this  Rate  be  33  Millions.  Now 
since  those  that  disburse  the  Duties,  and  Charge  of 
collecting  them,  must  have  a  suitable  Profit  to  every 
Hand  through  which  the  Goods  pass  to  the  Con- 
sumers, I  will  suppose  these  Profits  to  inhance  the 
Value  of  the  Goods  to  the  Consumers  8  per  Cent*'. 

*  All  Taxes  on  Commodities  of  universal  Consumption  raise,  at  least, 
10  per  Cent,  more  than  their  Rate  on  the  People,  because  the  Dealers  in 
those  Commodities  exact  that  Interest  for  the  Money  advanced  for  the 
Tax:  If  I  put  this  Exceeding  at  15  per  Cent.  I  believe  Experience  will 
justify  me.  See  Fog's  Journal  of  February  the  zoth,  1732  3. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  109 

this  will  occasion  a  further  Charge  to  the  ||  Nation  m 
of  2,640,000  /.  per  Annum.  So  that  collecting  four 
Millions  for  the  Government  on  Goods,  puts  the 
Nation  to  above  four  Millions  more  Charge,  than 
would  be  sufficient  to  raise  the  same  Supply  by  way 
of  Land-tax  only.  And  I  verily  believe,  I  have  not 
exceeded  in  any  of  my  Suppositions ;  or  if  I  have, 
I  doubt  not  that  I  am  still  in  the  whole  Charge 
enough  within  Compass,  and  that  this  Way  of 
Reasoning  is  just. 

But  before  I  proceed  to  shew  that  this  whole 
Charge  of  8  Millions,  which  is  equal  to  8  Shillings 
in  the  Pound  on  the  Rental  of  the  Kingdom,  will  all 
fall  ultimately  on  the  Land,  it  is  needful  to  shew 
that  the  Land  gives  all  we  have. 

That  the  Land  gives  all  we  have,  would  be  self- 
evident,  if  we  did  not  import  many  Goods  which  are 
the  Produce  of  other  Nations :  But  this  makes  no 
Alteration  in  the  Case;  since  the  Quantity  of  foreign 
Goods  we  import,  can't  continually  be  of  greater 
Value  than  the  Goods  we  export,  because  this,  in 
the  End,  must  exhaust  all  our  Cash,  and  so  put  an 
End  to  that  Excess.  Therefore  the  Goods  we 
import  stand  only  in  Place,  and  in  Stead  of  those 
we  export ;  consequently  the  Land  gives  not  only 
all  we  have  of  our  own  Produce,  &c.  but  virtually 
all  we  re || ceive  from  other  Nations;  since  it  pro-»i* 
duces  and  delivers,  at  least,  a  Quantity  equal  in 
Value  to  the  Quantity  of  Goods  we  import.  And 
as  I  have  now  proved  that  the  Land  gives  all  we 
have,  notwithstanding  the  Importation  of  any  Quan- 
tity of  foreign  Goods,  I  will  next  shew  that  it  must 

If  we  consider  that  Taxes  on  Goods  inhance  the  Charge  of  Living,  and 
consequently  of  Labour,  in  some  Degree  at  least,  we  can't  doubt  but  that 
the  Taxes  on  Goods  must  inhance  their  Price  to  the  Consumer,  at  least 
as  much  as  I  have  supposed,  because  Labour  enters  so  essentially  into 
every  thing,  as  to  constitute  the  chief  Value  thereof. 


no  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

pay  all  the  Taxes,  levy  them  how  we  will.  I  might, 
without  going  any  further,  insist  on  it,  as  a  self- 
evident  Principle,  that  that  which  gives  all  must  pay 
all ;  but  I  will  shew  how  this  comes  to  pass  in  this 
Case.  It  hath  been  laid  down  as  a  certain  Principle, 
That  the  Price  of  Goods  to  the  Consumers  in  general, 
depends  on,  and  is  governed  by,  and  will  always  be 
more  or  less,  according  as  the  Quantity  of  Cash 
circulating  amongst  the  People  is  more  or  less,  in 
Proportion  to  their  Numbers. 

And  as  the  Rents  of  Lands  depend  also  on  this 
Principle,  I  will  shew  what  the  Rents  of  Lands  will 
be  in  Consequence  thereof. 

Now  the  Rents  of  Lands  can  be  no  greater  (nay 
they  ought  not  to  be  so  great)  than  the  Overplus 
which  remains  to  the  Farmers,  after  all  Charges, 
together  with  their  own  Subsistence,  are  deducted 
out  of  the  Price  or  Sum,  the  Produce  of  the  Land 
they  rent  fetches  at  Market;  and  Experience  shews, 
the  Rents  of  Lands  will  always  be  very  near  as  much 
as  this,  since  the  Farmers  in  general,  as  well  as 
every  body  else,  find  it  as  much  as  they  can  well  do 
to  pay  their  Rents.  But  to  proceed. 

Suppose  the  Cash,  amongst  the  People  in  general, 
to  be  what  it  now  is  ;  and  that  all  the  Taxes  were 
taken  off  Goods ;  it's  evident,  this  would  not,  in  the 
"3 End,  lower  the  Price  of  ||  Goods  to  the  Consumers; 
since  that  Price,  by  the  Principle  laid  down,  depends 
on  the  Quantity  of  Money  circulating  amongst  the 
People :  But  if  the  Duties  were  taken  off  Goods, 
they  must  cost  as  much  less  than  they  do  now,  as 
the  Taxes  now  on  them,  with  the  Charges  of  collect- 
ing, &c.  now  inhance  them;  therefore,  I  think,  if 
the  Taxes  were  taken  off  Goods,  and  laid  on  Lands 
and  Houses  only,  so  much  more  Money  must  in  this 
Case  come  to  the  Hands  of  the  Farmers  for  the 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  in 

Produce  of  the  Ground,  as  would  enable  them  to 
pay  as  much  larger  Rents  than  they  now  can  do, 
as  would  double  the  Land-tax,  if  the  whole  Supply 
were  raised  this  Way  only:  and  this  I  conclude 
must  be  so,  because  the  Charge  of  collecting  the 
Duties  on  Goods  is,  as  hath  been  shewn,  about 
equal  to  the  nett  Supply  for  the  Government,  whilst 
the  Charge  of  collecting  the  Supply  by  Way  of 
Land-tax,  doth  not  exceed  ?V  Part  of  the  Charge 
of  collecting  it  on  Goods,  as  hath  also  been  shewn. 

But  that  I  may  make  it  evident  that  the  Taxes, 
and  all  Charges  which  attend  collecting  them  on 
Goods,  must  lessen  the  Rents  as  much  as  they 
amount  to,  I  reason  thus :  The  Produce  of  the 
Ground,  when  fitted  for  the  Consumer,  fetches  a 
certain  Sum  of  Money,  out  of  which  all  Charges, 
from  the  raising  it  out  of  the  Earth  to  the  fitting  it 
for  the  Consumer,  must  be  deducted,  together  with 
the  Taxes,  and  all  Charges  they  occasion  by  collect- 
ing them  ;  and  the  Overplus,  after  these  are  all 
deducted,  is  all  the  Rent  that  can  possibly  be  paid.||  "4 

Now  if  the  Taxes,  and  Charges  they  occasion  in 
collecting  them  on  Goods,  be  equal  to  7,  8,  or  9 
Shillings  in  the  Pound  on  the  Rental  of  the  King- 
dom, these,  which  deduct  so  much  out  of  the  Price 
which  the  Goods  fetch  of  the  Consumers,  must 
deduct  it  ultimately  out  of  the  Rent.  And  if  every 
thing  will  always  find  its  true  Value,  which  is  a 
known  Maxim  in  Trade,  Land,  which  is  most  valu- 
able of  all  Things,  because  it  gives  all  Things,  must 
do  so ;  therefore  if  the  Taxes  were  all  taken  off 
Goods,  the  Land  would  necessarily  bear  as  much 
higher  Rents,  as  the  Taxes  substract  from  the  Price 
of  the  Goods  it  produces ;  and  this  will  clearly  ap- 
pear, by  shewing  in  what  Manner  taking  the  Taxes 
off  Goods  will  operate,  to  bring  the  whole  Amount 
of  them  into  the  Landlords  Pockets  for  Rent. 


H2  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

If  the  Taxes  were  taken  off  Goods,  they  would 
come  cheaper,  and  Cheapness  would  increase  the 
Consumption,  as  Cheapness  of  every  thing  always 
doth ;  and  that  Increase  of  the  Consumption  would 
increase  the  Demand  for  those  Things.  Now  since 
every  thing  is  the  Produce  of  the  Ground,  the  De- 
mand for  the  Produce  would  increase  the  Demand 
for  Land,  and  that  would  necessarily  raise  the  Rent, 
even  till  all  the  Money  now  paid  for  Taxes,  together 
with  all  the  Charge  they  are  necessarily  attended 
with,  would  come  into  the  Landlords  Pockets  for 
Rent.  Thus  if  the  Taxes  were  taken  off  Goods, 
the  Landlords  would  receive  8  or  9  Shillings  in  the 
Pound  more  Rent  than  they  now  do,  if  the  Taxes 
on  Goods  do  any  way  amount  to  so  much ;  and  if 
1154  Shillings  in  the  ||  Pound  or  thereabouts  would,  as 
hath  been  shewn,  raise  the  whole  Supply  for  the 
Government,  the  Landlords  would  receive  more 
Rent,  by  4  Shillings  in  the  Pound  on  their  whole 
Estates,  after  the  Taxes  are  deducted,  than  they 
can  do  whilst  the  Supply  for  the  Government  is 
raised  on  Goods. 

Nor  can  this  possibly  be  otherwise,  unless  the 
Money  circulating  amongst  the  People  be  not  suffi- 
cient to  augment  the  Rents  so  much  :  And  though 
I  allow  it  is  not,  yet  I  verily  believe,  if  all  the  Taxes 
were  taken  off  Goods,  the  Money  we  have  would  be 
found  sufficient  to  augment  the  Rents,  equal  to  the 
Taxes  that  would  be  needful  to  be  laid  on  them  ; 
or,  at  least,  that  it  would  prevent  any  considerable 
Fall  of  the  present  Rents  of  Lands  in  general,  even 
though  so  much  Land  were  to  be  added  and  im- 
proved, as  would  be  needful  to  answer  the  Purposes 
I  am  persuing  in  this  Essay. 

But  perhaps  it  will  be  asked,  if  taking  the  Taxes 
off  Goods  will  not  in  the  End  lower  their  Prices  to 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  113 

the  Consumers ;  as  it  certainly  will  not,  because  the 
Prices  of  all  Commodities  in  general  do  necessarily 
depend  on  the  Quantity  of  Money  circulating 
amongst  the  People :  I  say,  perhaps  it  will  be  asked, 
what  Advantage  the  taking  the  Taxes  off  Goods 
will  be  to  Trade?  I  answer,  First,  That  all  the 
Hands  now  employed  in  raising  the  Taxes  on  Goods, 
would  be  gained  to  contribute  their  Quota  of  Skill 
and  Labour  to  encrease  the  publick  Stock,  who  now, 
by  living  on  the  Publick,  eat  up  so  much  of  it  as  their 
whole  Maintenance  and  Support  amounts  to,  and 
thereby  are  at  least  a  double  ||  Loss  to  the  Nation  "6 
of  so  much.  And  next,  I  say,  that  the  Advantages 
that  will  arise  to  Trade  by  taking  the  Taxes  off 
Goods,  must  be  measured  by  the  Inconveniencies 
which  the  Taxes  on  Goods  occasion  to  Trade;  and 
as  these  are  felt  by  all  to  be  prodigiously  great,  so 
the  Advantages  which  will  arise  to  Trade  by  taking 
the  Taxes  off  Goods,  must  be  found  by  all  to  be 
prodigiously  great  too,  since  they  are  Opposites 
that  just  equal  each  other. 

And  perhaps  it  may  be  asked,  how  the  Price  of 
Goods  can  be  so  strictly  governed  by  the  Quantity 
of  Money  circulating  amongst  the  People,  since  the 
Prices  of  them  frequently  vary  very  much?  I  answer, 
that  though  the  Seasons,  and  other  Circumstances 
will  indeed  always  vary  the  Prices  of  all  Sorts  of 
Things,  yet  it  must  be  allowed  that  the  Rise  of 
Goods  will  necessarily  lessen  the  Consumption  of 
them,  and  that  the  Cheapness  of  Goods  will  so  much 
augment  the  Consumption  of  them,  as  in  the  Event 
to  make  the  Effect  the  same,  as  if  they  were  strictly 
and  invariably  governed  by  the  Quantity  of  Money 
circulating  amongst  the  People. 

And  perhaps  it  will  be  objected ;  that  if  all  the 
Duties  were  taken  off  Goods,  Goods  imported 


ii4  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

would,  in  this  Respect,  have  Preference  to  our  own 
Goods,  which  in  the  End  must  pay  both  Rent  and 
Taxes ;  but  foreign  Goods  would  in  this  Case  pay 
neither. 

In  answer  to  which,  I  say ;  that  since  we  must 
deliver  Goods  of  our  own  Produce,  equal  in  Value 
at  least  to  those  we  import,  as  hath  been  shewn, 
the  Goods  we  import  should  be  deemed  to  have 
117  paid  Rent  and  Taxes,  since  they  ||  stand  only  in  lieu 
of  others  of  equal  Value,  which  have  paid  both. 

I  am  induced  to  treat  on  this  Way  of  raising  the 
Taxes  rather  than  on  Goods,  because  it  may  seem 
difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  get  Hands  enough  to 
go  into  Tillage,  &c.  to  carry  this  Proposal  to  its 
Perfection  ;  and  also  because  I  have  before  shewn, 
that  Trade,  Manufactures,  &c.  will  probably  not  be 
able  to  spare  so  many  Hands,  since  the  Demand 
for  them  will  certainly  cause  better  Wages  to  be 
given  to  Artificers,  and  Manufacturers,  &c.  than 
Plowing  and  Sowing  will  ever  do :  For  Plowing, 
and  Sowing,  &c.  reduce  the  Rates  of  Labour ;  but 
a  Demand  for  Artists  in  the  Manufactures  always 
raises  the  Rates  of  Wages  ;  therefore  these  will 
always,  of  themselves,  draw  the  working  People  to 
them,  if  they  are  wanted. 

And  hence  I  conclude  it  needful,  in  order  to  carry 
this  Proposal  as  far  towards  the  End  proposed,  as 
the  Nature  of  Things  will  admit,  that  the  Taxes 
should  be  as  gradually  taken  off  Goods,  and  all  the 
Officers  in  the  publick  Revenue,  as  gradually  dis- 
charged, as  this  Proposal  can  be  executed  ;  that 
they  may  get  their  Livelihood  in  such  a  Way  as  will 
increase  the  publick  Stock  of  Plenty,  and  that  we 
may  have  none  to  succeed  to  live  on  the  Labour  of 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  115 

the  Industrious,  as  Multitudes  always  must*,  as 
long  as  any  Taxes  are  raised  on  Goods.  ||  ll8 

This  Reasoning  holds  as  to  our  Laws ;  which  are 
multiplied  almost  to  Immensity,  but  ought  to  be 
reduced  to  so  small  a  Volume,  and  be  so  clear  and 
easy,  that  the  meanest  Subject  may  know  the  Laws 
of  his  Country  as  well  as  the  greatest.  This  is  the 
Case  in  Denmark,  and  might  be  the  same  here ; 
and  then  a  vast  Number  of  Hands  would  be  gained 
to  contribute  to  the  Good  of  Society,  in  a  Way 
congruous  to  the  Circumstances  of  Mankind. 

And  as  to  the  Practitioners  in  Physick,  I  am  sure 
many  of  them  must  get  their  Livelihood  this  useful 
Way,  because  most  of  the  Diseases  and  Vices  which 
Mankind  are  so  generally  over-run  with,  will  be 
prevented :  For  Industry,  and  every  social  Virtue 
will  certainly  take  Place,  and  remove  those  Vices 
and  Corruptions,  which  have  drawn  in  such  pro- 
digious Numbers,  as  this  Profession  is  so  horribly 
surcharged  with. 

And  many  of  those  who  (for  want  of  this  useful 
Way  to  employ  them)  are  now  brought  up  to  Divinity, 
would  soon  find  the  Way  to  be  more  usefully  em- 

*  In  a  Mass  of  People,  there  is  not  above  one  half  labouring  or  manu- 
facturing. For  suppose  we  have  8  Millions  of  People,  and  that  the  Limits 
of  the  Age  of  Labour  be  placed  between  13  and  63,  and  that  §  of  the 
People  are  between  these  Ages;  from  these  we  must  deduct  at  least  i, 
under  the  following  Classes;  Females,  sequestrated  from  Labour  by  the 
Condition  of  their  Sex;  theidle,  by  Rank  or  Choice;  Men  of  Professions; 
such  as  vend  the  Manufactures  of  others,  but  add  no  real  Value  to  them; 
the  Sick  and  Impotent.  By  this  Computation,  there  only  remains  one  half 
labouring  or  manufacturing.  I  am  persuaded  I  put  the  Number  too  high, 
and  that  there  are  not  above  three  Millions  of  working  People.  The  Price 
of  Labour  is  raised  in  proportion  to  the  Scarcity  of  Labourers;  they  being 
somewhat  like  their  Commodities,  dear  in  Proportion  to  their  Scarcity: 
Any  Number  of  labouring  People  sitting  idle  increaseth  the  Price  of 
Labour,  double  of  the  Proportion  which  that  Number  bears  to  the  whole. 
For  Example:  Suppose  three  Millions  of  labouring  People,  and  30,000 
Men  carrying  Arms,  or  levying  Taxes ;  30  ooo  is  one  per  Cent,  on  3 
Millions,  and  these  living  on  the  Labour  of  the  rest  makes  another  one 
per  Cent,  in  all  two,  or  double  of  that  Proportion.  See  Ftg't  Journal  of 
January  2oth,  1732-3. 


n6  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

ployed  for  their  own  Comfort  and  Support,  than 
"9  the  Generality  of  that  Pro  ||  fession  now  are,  or 
ever  can  be,  till  such  a  Demand  for  their  Skill  and 
Industry  is  produced,  as  the  full  and  sufficient  Exe- 
cution of  this  Proposal  alone  can  effect.  For  can  it 
be  imagined,  that  if  so  much  Business  could  be  made 
as  I  am  aiming  at,  such  a  vast  Number  as  now 
follows  this  Profession,  the  Generality  of  whom  are 
not  only  insufficiently  but  scandalously  rewarded, 
would  not  prefer  the  Profit,  which,  in  every  Employ, 
must  be  necessarily  connected  with  such  a  Quantity 
of  Business,  as  leaves  it  doubtful  whether  Hands 
sufficient  can  be  found  to  perform  and  transact  it  ? 
As  to  the  Sword,  I  would  have  every  Person  in 
the  Kingdom  trained  to  all  the  needful  military 
Exercises,  in  the  utmost  Perfection,  and  that  from 
their  earliest  Capacity  to  receive  any  such  Instruc- 
tions; which,  I  am  sure,  would  as  effectually  preserve 
us  from  the  unjust  Attacks  of  our  Neighbours,  as 
any  Body  of  mercenary  Forces  we  can  maintain 
will  ever  do.  And,  I  think,  we  should  be  less  liable 
to  make  any  unjust  Attacks  on  our  Neighbours,  in 
this  Case ;  since  Men  will  not  easily  be  induced  to 
leave  their  Families  and  Livelihoods,  to  carry  War 
and  Destruction  to  those  that  have  not  made  it 
necessary.  But  War  seems  now  a  civil  Game,  to 
divert  Princes,  and  employ  the  numerous  Troops 
they  keep  in  Arms;  whilst  it  is  become  so  general 
a  Practice  to  keep  a  standing  Force,  that  they  are 
almost  become  necessary  even  to  free  Kingdoms 
and  States. 

But  if,  after  all,  it  should  be  found  true,  that  we 
can't  get  Hands  enough  into  Tillage,  &c.  to  carry 
izo this  Proposal  compleatly  to  the  End  I  ||  am  aiming 
at,  yet  this  must  itself  be  a  cogent  Reason  for  carry- 
ing this  Matter  as  far  as  may  be  ;  since  it  is  infinitely 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  117 

for  the  Happiness  of  Mankind,  rather  to  want  Hands 
to  do  all  the  Work  that  may  arise,  than  to  have  such 
a  vast  Number  of  Hands  to  spare,  as  are  now  de- 
generated into  Vagabonds,  relieved  by  the  Publick, 
or  almost  perishing  for  want  of  Work  enough  to 
render  Labour  so  valuable,  as  to  be  a  sufficient,  fit 
and  natural  Motive  to  make  them  industrious. 

But,  besides  this  Difficulty  of  wanting  Hands 
sufficient  to  execute  this  Proposal  effectually,  'tis 
objected,  that  the  working  People  will  not  now  work 
above  3  or  4  Days  in  a  Week,  but  get  drunk  the 
other  2  or  3  Days ;  and  that  this  would  be  worse, 
if  Necessaries  were  rendered  so  cheap  as  I  am  con- 
tending for.  In  answer  to  which  I  must  observe, 
that  Necessaries  can't  be  rendered  so  cheap,  as  I  am 
aiming  at,  without  employing  more  of  the  labouring 
Peoples  Time  and  Labour,  to  raise  such  a  Plenty 
of  them  as  may  make  them  cheaper.  Nor  can  there 
be  this  additional  Employment  for  their  Time  and 
Labour,  till  the  Reduction  of  the  Price  of  Necessaries 
shall  not  only  be  this  Way  attempted,  but  proceeded 
in :  If  therefore  I  can  prove  that,  notwithstanding 
the  working  People  do  waste  a  great  deal  of  their 
Time,  they  nevertheless  do  Work  enough,  and  too 
much  too,  as  Things  now  stand ;  and  that  they  would 
do  more,  if  it  were  provided  in  a  Way  that  would 
encourage  their  Industry ;  I  hope  no  such  Stress 
ought  to  be  laid  on  this  Objection,  as  to  hinder  the 
Execution  of  this  Proposal.  ||  i«i 

And,  First,  I  say  the  working  People  do  work 
enough ;  because  there  is  always  such  a  Plenty  of 
all  Kinds  of  Goods  in  the  Hands  of  the  Venders, 
that  the  Consumers  can  always  buy  what  they  want. 
This  being  undeniably  true,  shews  that  the  working 
People,  who  alone  make  all  these,  do  Work  enough ; 
the  End  of  making  them  being  to  supply  the  Wants 
of  the  Consumers. 


I2O  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

as  to  cloath  so  great  a  Part  of  the  People  of  the 
Kingdom  in  so  short  a  Time,  as  we  usually  see  them 
put  themselves  in  Mourning  on  such  Occasions,  it 
must  be  plain  that  the  working  People  not  only  can, 
but  would  do  a  great  deal  more  Work  than  they  do, 
if  they  were  but  somewhat  better  encouraged  by 
their  Wages  to  do  so. 

Lastly,  The  full  and  sufficient  Execution  of  this 
Proposal  is  the  only  natural  Way  to  extend  Do- 
minion, and  introduce  Liberty  amongst  Mankind. 
For  wherever  so  much  Land  is  continually  put  to 
use,  as  will  call  for  all  the  Hands,  Trade,  and  Manu- 
factures will  suffer  to  employ  themselves  this  Way, 
as  this  will  necessarily  give  full  Employment  to  all 
«4the  People,  and  ||  make  such  Plenty  of  every  Thing, 
that  the  meanest  of  the  People  will  certainly  find  a 
comfortable  Subsistence  for  themselves  and  Fa- 
milies, so  it  will  infallibly  draw  the  People  out  of 
every  Nation  round  us,  that  doth  not  attend  to  this 
Point  in  the  same  Degree ;  and  consequently  cause 
the  People  to  forsake  every  arbitrary  and  oppressive 
Government,  to  find  such  a  Settlement,  as  the  Busi- 
ness so  much  Land  continually  added  and  improv'd 
will  necessarily  provide  for  them. 

'Tis  true,  this  will  in  Time  fill  this  Island  with 
Inhabitants,  and  improve  every  Spot  of  Ground  in 
it.  And  I  suppose  it  must  be  this  Way  that  Benja- 
min Motte  computes  that  the  People  may  be  doubled, 
in  so  short  a  Time  as  24  or  25  Years :  If  this  be  not 
the  Way,  I  am  not  able  to  conjecture  how  so  great 
an  Increase  of  People  should  arise,  in  the  small 
Space  he  asserts  they  may  be  doubled  and  quadrup- 
led ;  for  I  am  sure  the  natural  Increase  of  Mankind 
will  require  a  vastly  longer  Term,  only  to  double  in. 

But  however,  if  my  9th  and  loth  Principles  are 
true,  and  I  think  them  self-evident,  then  the  full  and 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  121 

sufficient  Execution  of  this  Proposal  must  be  a  great 
Advantage  to  the  Government,  by  increasing  the 
Number  and  Riches  of  their  Subjects,  and  their 
Revenues  together  with  them,  which  Things  are 
inseparably  connected.  Nay,  this  Matter  ought 
most  certainly  to  be  carried  so  far  as  to  fill  Ireland 
with  Inhabitants,  by  granting  for  a  considerable 
Term,  on  small  Acknowledgments,  a  proper  Quan- 
tity of  any  waste  Land,  that  any  Person  shall  choose, 
and  be  able  to  ||  undertake  the  full  Improvement  of. 
And  thus,  I  think,  these  Kingdoms  would  soon  be- 
come vastly  more  powerful ;  since  'tis  probable, 
that  in  less  than  a  Century  there  would  be  double 
the  present  Number  of  People  found  in  them.  Nor 
could  this  possibly  fail,  I  think,  unless  the  Nations 
round  us,  to  prevent  the  Loss  of  their  Subjects, 
should  take  the  same  Measures ;  and  then  the  In- 
crease of  each  Nation  would  be  only  such  as  the 
natural  Increase  of  Mankind  will  produce.  But  this 
great  Advantage  would  arise  to  Mankind  by  this 
Means,  that  Happiness  and  Liberty  would  be  as 
general  and  extensive,  as  the  Method  I  prescribe 
shall  be  practised. 

And  this  may  shew  the  Folly  and  Absurdity  of 
making  War,  on  the  ambitious  Principle  of  extending 
Dominion ;  since  War,  if  it  be  continued  a  few  Years, 
commonly  ruins  the  Generality  of  the  People  of  such 
Nations  as  are  vanquish'd ;  as  we  know  the  late  War 
did  France ;  and  what  we  who  conquer'd  got  by  it, 
the  Taxes  we  at  present  groan  under,  and  from 
which  perhaps  we  shall  never  be  reliev'd,  will  amply 
testify.  But  the  Folly  of  making  War,  to  extend 
Dominion,  appears,  in  that  War  lays  waste  and  de- 
populates Countries,  and  thereby  puts  such  Nations 
to  great  and  extraordinary  Charges  and  Difficulties, 
to  preserve  and  defend  such  unpeopled  Territories 


122  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

from  the  easy  Inroads  and  Invasions  of  their  Neigh- 
bours, who  have  as  many  more  Oportunities  of 
Entrance,  as  the  extended  unpeopled  Territory  of 
any  Potentate  doth  necessarily  afford. 

If  therefore  it  be  absurd  to  make  War  to  extend 
126  Dominion  ;  I  should  rather  say  Terri  ||  tory,  for  that 
is  all  that  can  be  got  by  it*;  and  if,  as  I  have  before 
shewn,  it  be  unnecessary  on  the  Account  of  Trade 
also ;  it  will  follow  that  War,  except  in  our  own 
necessary  Self-defence,  is  unnatural  and  wicked  ; 
since  these  ordinary  Causes,  viz.  extending  Dominion 
or  Trade  will  not  justify  it. 

Yet  I  think  there  is  one  Case,  in  which  making 
War  on  other  Nations  may  be  justifiable,  viz. 
Fighting  for  Territory  when  we  are  over-peopled, 
and  want  Land  for  them,  which  our  Neighbours 
have,  but  will  not  part  with  on  amicable  and  reason- 
able Terms.  And  as  this,  and  necessary  Self- 
defence  is  all  the  just  Foundation  War  can  ever 
have ;  so  War  for  any  other  Cause  is  Murder, 
aggravated  by  the  horrible  Addition  of  all  the 
Thousands  that  are  destroy'd  on  both  Sides.  This 
must  be  so,  because  it's  monstrous  to  imagine,  the 
Author  of  the  World  hath  constituted  Things  so, 
as  to  make  it  any  Ways  necessary  for  Mankind  to 
murder  and  destroy  each  other :  And  yet  he  must 
have  constituted  Things  thus  monstrously,  if  War 
be  necessary  on  any  other  Foundation  whatsoever. 

I  will  now  proceed  to  shew,  that  the  State  of  the 
Nation,  in  Respect  of  the  Trade  thereof,  is  really 
very  different,  and  much  worse  than  it  was  about 
the  Year  1688. 

Erasmus  Phillips  says,  Page  15,  that  the  Year 
above  mentioned  was  perhaps  the  Time,  when 
England  was  in  Possession  of  the  greatest  Quantity 

*  See  the  last  Paragraph  of  the  Spectator,  No.  200. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  123 

of  Wealth  she  ever  did  enjoy:  She  was  then  inrich'd 
with  the  Treasure  she  had  ||  been  accumulating  for1*? 
about  1 50  Years ;  for  so  long  we  may  date  the 
Progress  of  Trade  in  this  Nation.  And  Page  17, 
he  says,  As  to  the  Specie  of  the  Nation,  the  Re- 
coining  3  Years  afterwards  makes  that  Sum  almost 
apparent  as  to  the  Silver;  for  from  1691  to  1697, 
there  was  brought  to  the  London  and  Country  Mints, 
8,400,000  /.  of  dipt,  light,  and  hammer'd  Money, 
and  in  all  Probability  there  might  be  a  great  Sum 
standing  out.  The  mill'd  Silver  coin'd  in  King 
Charles  lid,  and  King  James  lid's  Reign,  might  be 
2,200,000  /.  so  that  we  may  suppose  subsisting  in 
Silver  Money,  at  that  Time,  about  1 1  Millions. 
And  the  Gold  we  may  reckon  thus : 

Coin'd  in  Queen  Elizabeth's  Time,  "1   j 
who  reform'd  most  of  the  old  Specie  J 

Coin'd  in  King  James  Ist's  Time  800,000 

Coin'd  in  King  Charles  Ist's  Time  1,723,456 

And   in    the    Reigns   of  King     "1          ., 
Charles  lid,  and  King  James  lid.  J          °' 

In  all     L.  10,523,456 
But  allowing  for  Deficiencies  and  "1 
Wastes  of  all  Kinds  J         3>( 

The  Gold  Specie  then  remains          L.    7,523,456 
Silver  Specie  as  above  11,000,000 

Total  of  the  Specie  circulating  in  \  r     R 
the  Nation  about  the  Year  1688.       J  J 

And  Page  18,  he  says,  There  is  Reason  to  believe 
this  was  the  State  of  the  Nation  in  Respect  to  Trade 
and  Money  in  the  Year  1688.  ||  128 

And  I  will  endeavour  to  shew,  that  the  Trade  of 
the  Nation  had  really  stood  on  such  a  Foot,  during 
the  whole  Period  of  the  Coinage  above  set  forth, 


124  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

that  it  was  not  likely  we  had  thereby  diminished 
any  Part  of  the  Specie  abovemention'd,  on  which 
however  so  large  a  Sum  as  3  Millions  is  allow'd  for 
Deficiencies  and  Waste. 

In  the  Year  1645  there  were  7966  Christen'd, 
and  1 1479  Buried. 

In  the  Year  1689  there  were  14777  Christen'd, 
and  23502  Buried. 

The  Christenings  and  Burials,  then,  being  at  the 
Year  1689,  about  double  the  Number  they  were  at 
the  Year  1645,  makes  it  evident  that  the  People  in 
London  and  Westminster,  &c.  within  the  Bills  of 
Mortality,  were  doubled  in  about  44  Years,  notwith- 
standing that  great  Plague  which  happened  in  this 
Period.  And  Dr.  Nichols  hath  assured  us,  that  the 
Country  increased  in  the  same  Time,  though  not  in 
the  like,  yet  in  a  considerable  Proportion. 

Now  since  the  Prices  of  all  Things  in  general  were 
as  high,  if  not  higher,  when  the  People  were  so  much 
increased,  than  the  Prices  of  the  same  Things  in 
general  were  when  the  Number  of  the  People  were 
so  much  less  (and  this  I  shall  take  for  granted  as  a 
Thing  sufficiently  known;)  therefore,  since  we  had 
at  the  Year  1688  no  considerable  national  Debts, 
or  Paper  Effects  operating  as  Money,  and  thereby 
inhancing  the  Prices  of  Things  above  the  Rates 
which  the  Specie  itself  would  support  them  at,  as 
every  Thing  which  hath  the  Operation  of  Money, 
«9  though  it  be  not  such,  will  ||  never  fail  to  do ;  I  say, 
this  could  be  only  the  Effect  of  a  vast  Increase  of 
real  Specie  circulating,  which  thus  supported,  if  not 
raised  the  Prices  of  Things  amongst  such  a  vastly 
greater  Number  of  People,  as  there  was  in  London, 
&c.  and  in  the  Kingdom  in  general,  at  or  about  the 
Year  1688,  above  the  Number  there  was  about  44 
Years  before. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  125 

And  since  we  (having  no  Mines)  could  only  have 
such  an  Increase  of  Specie  arise,  by  the  Balance  of 
Trade  being  so  mightily  in  our  Favour,  as  to  increase 
the  Money  so  vastly  in  so  short  a  Time  as  about 
44  Years  ;  I  think  there  can  be  no  room  to  imagine, 
the  Specie,  coin'd  as  above,  was  at  all  lessen'd  in 
this  Period. 

But  it  will  still  be  a  Question,  Whether  the  Specie 
was  not  diminished  before  the  Year  1645  >  since  the 
Beginning  of  the  Coinage  goes  much  further  back. 
To  which  I  answer,  that  it  is  well  known  that  our 
Trade  at  1645  was  DUt  °f  about  100  Years  Date, 
and  therefore  I  shall  say  it  was  but  in  its  Youth. 
And  as  it  is  a  Circumstance,  always  attending  the 
Beginnings  of  foreign  Trade  in  every  Nation,  to 
have  the  Balance  in  their  Favour ;  because  such 
Nations  having  no  Mines,  cannot  have  much  Money 
amongst  them,*  on  which  Account  ||  their  Produce  130 
and  Manufactures  must  needs  be  low  in  their  Price: 
And  as  this  is  the  chief,  if  not  the  only  Circumstance 
which  lays  the  Foundation  of  the  Exportation  of  the 
Commodities  of  any  Country ;  so  this  being  then 
our  Case,  must  needs  be  the  Means  of  increasing 
the  Gold  and  Silver  amongst  us,  from  the  Time  of 
Reforming  the  old  Specie  by  Queen  Elizabeth,  to 
the  Time  whence  I  begin  that  great  Increase  of  the 
People.  But  further  to  establish  this  Point,  give 
me  Leave  again  to  make  use  of  Dr.  Nichols's  Author- 
ity in  the  beforecited  Place,  where  he  says,  "To  con- 
sider further  how  mightily  this  Nation  of  ours  hath 

*The  Sum  coin'd  in  Queen  Elizabeth'*  Time,  who  reform'd  most  of  the 
old  Specie,  shews  we  then  had  not  much  Money  amongst  us ;  whereas  the 
Sums  coin'd  in  the  Reigns  of  King  Charles  lid,  and  King  James  lid, 
being  6  Millions  and  an  Half  of  G jld,  and  2,200,000  in  Silver,  shew  we 
had  a  vast  Balance  in  our  Favour,  near  9  Millions  being  coin'd  during 
these  two  Reigns.  And  this  suggests  that  my  Argument  is  just,  that 
asserts  the  vast  Increase  of  People  during  these  Reigns,  was  owing  to 
such  a  vast  Balance  of  Trade  in  our  Favour. 


126 


JACOB  VANDERLINT 


"increased  within  a  Century  or  two,  notwithstanding 
"the  many  civil  and  external  Wars,  and  those  vast 
"Drains  of  People  that  have  been  made  into  our 
"Plantations  since  the  Discovery  of  America"  If 
the  Nation  did  really  increase  so  mightily  within  a 
Century  or  two,  and  it  be  an  undeniable  Fact  that 
the  Prices  of  Things  advanced  too  during  that  Time, 
we  must  during  that  Time  have  had  an  Increase  of 
Money,  in  Proportion  both  to  such  an  Increase  of  the 
People  and  Prices  of  Things,  as  hath  been  before 
reason'd  on  this  Point.  Therefore  I  think  it  appears 
more  than  probable,  that  the  Specie  coin'd  as  above, 
was  not  diminish'd,  but  really  circulating  amongst 
us  about  the  Year  1688. 

Let  us  now  see  how  different  the  State  of  the 
Nation,  and  consequently  the  Trade  thereof,  now  is 
in  this  Respect.  || 

The  Cash  of  the  Nation  is  by  most 
People,  so  far  as  I  can  learn,  esteem'd 
to  be  about  10  or  12  Millions.  But 
Erasmus  Phillips  endeavours  to  shew 
that  it  is* 

And  in  his  Preface,  he  says,  the ' 
National  Debt  is  53  Millions,  a  sixth 
Part  of  which,  he  says,  Foreigners 
are  generally  supposed  to  have ; 
which,  allowing  the  Debt  to  be  now 
somewhat  lessen'd,  can  hardly  be  put 
lower  than  I 

The  Balance  of  Specie,  which  we 
may  then  call  our  own,  will  be 


>  L.  15,000,000 


L.    8,000,090 


L  L.    7,000,000 


*  Mr.  Richard  Bradley,  Professor  of  Botany  in  the  University  of  Cam- 
bridge, and  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Society,    in  his   Philosophical   Inquiry 
into  the  late  severe  Winter,  and   Scarcity  and    Dearness  of   Provisions, 
printed  1729,   Page  5  and  6,  says,    "It  was  generally  computed  that  we 
'had  in  England,  in  the  Year  1715,  about  13  Millions  Sterling  Money; 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  127 

That  is  1 1  Millions  and  an  Half  less  than  we  had 
about  the  Year  1688. 

Now  whether  this  great  Diminution  of  our  Specie 
be  attributed  chiefly  to  the  vast  Expence  of  King 
William  and  Queen  Anne's  Wars,  as  ||  without  13* 
doubt  it  must  in  a  great  Degree ;  or  that  the 
Balance  of  Trade  since  that  Time  hath  been  against 
us,  and  contributed  to  this  Diminution ;  it's  evident 
the  State  of  the  Nation,  being  now  so  vastly  different 
in  respect  of  real  Specie  we  can  call  our  own,  must 
have  a  malignant  Influence  on  our  Trade ;  whilst 
the  Prices  of  most  Commodities  and  Necessaries 
of  Life,  by  the  Operation  of  Paper-Effects,  are 
maintain'd  at  higher  Rates  than  those  Things  bore 
before  the  Year  1688. 

Therefore  I  conclude,  Since  we  have  so  much 
less  Specie  we  can  call  our  own,  and  such  a  vast 
Value  of  Paper-Effects  operating  as  Money,  and 
are  indebted  to  Foreigners  such  a  great  Sum,  the 
Interest  of  which  they  are  continually  drawing  from 
us,  besides  a  vast  National  Debt ;  that  the  State  of 
Trade  is  as  much  worse  than  it  was  in  the  Year 
1688,  as  the  State  of  the  Nation  is  so:  For  the  Re- 
lation between  these  are  such,  if  rightly  consider'd, 
that  they  ought  to  be  esteem'd  as  but  one  and  the 
same  Thing,  notwithstanding  we  seem  to  distinguish 
them  by  different  Names. 

Another  Point,  whence  I  argue  that  the  Trade  of 

"of  which  it  was  reckon'd  there  were  about  n  Millions  circulating:  But 
"since  the  Year  1720,  and  from  thence  to  1724  or  1725,  there  were  scarce 
"7  Millions  supposed  to  circulate;  which,  he  says,  must  necessarily  hurt 
"the  poorer  Sort  of  People  ;"  and  I  say,  every  other  Sort  in  general  with 
them,  though  not  in  the  same  Degree,  perhaps  because,  we  know,  as  the 
Proverb  says,  the  weakest  must  go  to  the  Wall. 

t  Fog's  Journal  of  January  20,  1738  says,  the  Interest  due  to  Foreigners 
upon  the  Publick  Funds,  may  be  put  at  400.000  /.  per  Annum:  If  so,  we 
must  owe  them  at  least  10  Millions;  for  that  Sum  at  4  per  Cent,  comes 
to  but  400,000  /.  and  if  we  reckon  the  Interest  lower,  the  Principal  must 
be  greater  in  such  Proportion. 


128  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

this  Nation  is  in  a  worse  State  than  it  was  about 
the  Year  1688,  is  the  different  Increase  of  the  People 
since  that  Time  to  the  Increase  in  the  preceding 
44  Years. 

In  the  Year  1730,  there  were  17118  Christen'd, 
and  26761  Buried. 

In  1689,  (which  I  stopt  at,)  14777  Christen'd,  and 
23502  Buried. 

The  Difference  increased  is,  Christen'd  2341  and 
X33  Buried  3259,  or  about  |  Part  of  the  ||  Number  of  the 
Year  1689;  which  shews  the  Increase  of  the  People 
since  that  Time  to  be  about  so  much:  Which  being 
so  far  short  of  the  preceding  Period  of  44  Years, 
shews  that  our  Trade  is  in  as  much  worse  State, 
as  the  Increase  is  less  in  near  the  same  Length  of 
Time. 

But  the  great  Increase,  in  the  before-mention'd 
44  Years,  will  be  partly  ascribed  to  the  great  Number 
of  French  Refugees,  that  came  and  settled  here  in 
that  Period.  But  I  think  they  could  not  have  found 
a  Settlement  with  us,  if  our  Trade  had  not  been  in 
a  very  flourishing  State,  without  improving  so  much 
waste  Land  as  their  Numbers  required,  and  thereby 
reducing  the  Prices  of  our  Produce  and  Manufactures 
in  such  Proportion :  Whereas  it's  certain  no  such 
Fall  happen'd,  and  therefore  it  follows  we  had  so 
much  greater  Exports  of  our  Produce  and  Manu- 
factures, as  were  equal  to  the  Imployment  so  great 
an  Addition  of  Hands  did  require  to  support  them. 
And  the  great  Quantity  of  Money  coin'd  in  this 
Period  of  doubling,  which  was  perhaps  equal  to  all 
we  had  before  circulating  amongst  us,  shews  that 
this  was  the  Case,  since  nothing  but  so  much  greater 
Exports  than  Imports,  could  have  brought  us  such 
a  Balance  of  Gold  and  Silver,  or  have  supported 
the  Prices  of  Things. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  129 

This  therefore  shews,  that  the  Increase  or  De- 
crease of  the  People  in  any  Nation,  depends  more 
on  the  Balance  of  Trade  than  on  any  other  Con- 
sideration whatsoever.  For  where  the  Balance  is 
considerably  in  favour  of  any  Nation,  there  the 
People  finding  Employment  do  ||  always  flow;  and  134 
contrarywise,  if  the  Balance  be  considerably  against 
a  Nation,  the  People  must  forsake  it ;  a  melancholy 
Proof  of  which  some  of  our  Colonies  do  furnish, 
many  People  of  all  Degrees,  if  we  can  rely  on  our 
News-Papers,  abandoning  them.  Nor  can  they  ever 
be  recover'd  but  by  their  raising  Corn  and  Cattle, 
which  includes  almost  every  Thing,  instead  of  their 
Staple  of  Sugar,  &c.  which  they  find  will  not  produce 
enough  of  the  Necessaries  and  Comforts  of  Life  for 
all  the  People.  But  if  they  were  to  raise  these 
necessary  Things,  and  make  them  so  plenty  as  to 
inable  them  to  Work  full  as  cheap  as  the  French, 
who  have  now  got  the  Staple  of  Sugars  from  them, 
and  thereby  that  Trade  from  this  Nation ;  our  Plan- 
tations would  soon  bring  that  Staple  back  again,  or 
at  least  come  in  for  their  Share  in  it,  and  all  other 
Branches  of  Trade  which  their  Soil  and  Climate  are 
by  Nature  most  adapted  to. 

And  since  I  have  digress'd  so  far  about  our  Plan- 
tations, which  I  have  done  for  their  sakes,  I  must 
say,  I  can't  think  it  good  Policy  to  carry  our  People 
to  them,  whilst  we  have  waste  Land  enough  at  home 
to  improve  and  employ  them ;  since  by  carrying  the 
People  away,  we  lose  so  many  Consumers  of  our 
Produce,  &c.  and  Occupiers  of  Rooms,  if  not  of 
Houses  ;  which  necessarily  brings  a  proportionable 
Loss  to  the  Revenue  with  it,  besides  the  Charge  of 
transporting  and  settling  them. 

Instead  of  which,  did  we  but  cause  the  Trade  of 
our  Colonies  to  be  put  on  such  a  Foot  as  I  am 


130  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

pointing  out,  People  enough  would  soon  forsake 
135  arbitrary  and  oppressive  Governments,  ||  to  find  so 
happy  a  Settlement,  as  such  a  State  of  Trade  in  our 
Plantations  would  of  itself  produce,  and  is  neces- 
sarily connected  with.  And  this  I  am  as  certain  of, 
as  that  Mr.  Corbert  in  his  Answer  to  the  French 
King  {Guardian  N°  52)"  was  certainly  in  the  right, 
when  he  told  his  Majesty,  That  the  People  will 
never  stay  and  starve  in  any  Country,  if  they  know 
of  any  other  where  they  can  subsist  themselves 
comfortably. 

Another  Point,  whence  I  argue  the  State  of  Trade 
to  be  worse  than  it  formerly  was,  is  the  great  Number 
of  empty  Houses,  not  only  in  the  Suburbs  and  new 
Buildings,  but  in  the  Strand,  Fleet-street,  Ludgate- 
hill,  Cheapside,  and  Cornhil :  For  I  think  Houses 
shut  up  in  Cheapside  and  Cornhil,  are  an  unanswer- 
able Proof  of  the  bad  State  of  Trade  in  this  City ; 
and  I  suppose,  if  the  new  Buildings  were  extended 
further  than  they  are  like  to  be,  Cornhil  could  hardly 
be  affected  by  them  ;  since  so  long  as  the  Royal- 
Exchange  stands  there,  and  Ships  can't  sail  thro' 
London- Bridge,  it  should,  I  think,  be  the  Seat  of 
Trade,  as  it  is  certain  it  hath  heretofore  been.  But 
how  is  its  State  of  Trade  alter'd  !  How  many 
Milliners,  Pastry-Cooks,  and  other  inconsiderable 
Trades  fill  the  Houses,  where  opulent  wholesale 
Dealers  dwelt,  whilst  several  other  Houses  have 
been  shut  up  for  some  Time !  And  to  me  it  appears 
absurd,  to  impute  this  to  any  other  Cause  than  the 
different  State  of  the  Trade  of  this  Metropolis*, 

*That  the  Trade  of  this  Metropolis  is  so  much  worse  than  it  formerly 
was,  is  ascribed  to  the  Peace,  which  hath  open'd  the  Trade  of  all  the 
Ports  of  the  Kingdom,  so  that  they  can  carry  on  Foreign  Trade  in  most 
of  them,  which  during  the  War  was  chiefly  carried  on  at  this  Port  only, 
the  Trade  of  the  other  Ports  not  being  considerable  enough  to  obtain 
Convoys,  without  which  hardly  any  foreign  Trade  could  be  carried  on  in 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  131 

which  ||  I  shall  always  regard  as  an  Index  of  the  136 
State  of  the  Trade  of  the  whole  Kingdom. 

I  have  before  taken  Notice,  that  the  great  Number 
of  empty  Houses  is  ascribed  to  the  new  Buildings 
of  late  Years.  But  I  can't  conceive  the  Buildings 
in  the  last  forty  Years,  to  have  been  near  equal  to 
what  they  must  have  been  in  the  preceding  forty 
Years,  when  the  Buildings  must  have  been  so 
numerous  as  to  equal  the  whole  Number  standing 
in  London,  Westminster,  and  the  Suburbs  thereof 
before  that  Time ;  because  the  People  having 
doubled  in  the  next  forty  Years  (as  appears  by  the 
Bills  of  Mortality)  must  needs  have  double  the 
Habitations  to  reside  in.  And  here  I  wave  the 
Buildings  which  the  Fire  of  London  occasion'd,  tho' 
that  must  have  been  prodigious,  for  it  happen'd  in 
this  Period  of  doubling.  Nay,  it  must  be  evident, 
the  Buildings  this  last  forty  Years,  can't  have  been 
near  equal  to  the  Buildings  in  the  preceding  forty 
Years,  because  abundance  more  Houses  wou'd  now 
be  empty  than  there  are,  if  this  were  the  Case, 
since  the  People  have  not  increased  above  |,  or 
thereabouts,  for  the  last  forty  Years,  tho'  they 
doubled  in  the  preceding  40  Years,  or  thereabouts, 
as  hath  been  shewn. 

Another  Point,  whence  I  argue,  that  Trade  is  in 
a  much  worse  state  than  it  formerly  ||  was,  is  that  137 
we  send  Money  to  Spain,  whence  we  ought  most 
certainly  to  receive  it :  For  Spain  having  the  Mines 
of  Peru  and  Mexico,  and  being  so  very  careful  to 
keep  the  Riches  of  them  to  themselves,  that  they 
search  all  Ships  in  those  Parts,  and  if  they  find  any 
Money  on  Board,  confiscate  them,  and  bring  all  the 

War  time.  In  answer  to  which,  I  shall  only  observe,  that  all  the  Ports 
in  the  Kingdom  were  as  open  and  free  to  carry  on  foreign  Trade,  during 
most  part  of  the  Period  in  which  it  hath  been  shewn  the  People  in  Lon- 
don, Westminster,  and  Suburbs  doubled,  as  those  Ports  have  been  since 
the  Utrecht  Peace. 


132  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Treasure  of  those  Mines  home  to  Old  Spain,  in  the 
King's  Ships  call'd  Galleons,  Register-Ships,  &c. 
Therefore  Spain  being  the  great  Receiver  of  this 
vast  Treasure,  consequently  must  have  the  Prices 
of  all  Commodities  at  as  much  higher  Rates  than 
other  Nations,  as  the  Wealth  these  Mines  continually 
furnish,  is  greater  than  any  other  Nation  can  receive, 
who  have  no  Mines  but  their  Trade. 

And  as  it  is  this  which  doth,  and  which  in  the  very 
Nature  of  the  Thing  should  give  us  and  other  Na- 
tions, who  have  no  Mines,  the  Advantage  of  vending 
Goods  to  Spain,  so  as  to  have  the  Balance  on  them, 
and  every  Country  that  hath  Gold  and  Silver  Mines ; 
so  it  will  follow,  that  our  Trade  is  really  in  a  bad 
Condition,  if  we  pay  them  any  Money  at  all.  And 
yet  by  our  Bills  of  Entries  it  appears,  that  we  Ex- 
ported to  Cadiz  in  Spain, 

September  7,  1732  -  -  2000  Ounces  of  Gold 

9     -    -  -  -  2000 

Novemb.      4     —    —  —  —  2000 

Decemb.     16     —    —  —  —  3000 

19     -    -  -  -  looo 

January     7     -    -  —  —  3000 

In  all  1 3000  Ounces  of  Gold,  || 

or  about  L.  50,000  in  so  short  a  Time.  I  could 
produce  many  more  Instances  from  the  Bills  of 
Entry;  but  these  are  sufficient  to  prove  that  the 
State  of  our  Trade  is  not  only  worse  than  it  formerly 
was,  when  we  undoubtedly  had  the  Balance  in  our 
favour  on  Spain,  but  that  the  Trade  of  this  Nation 
is  in  a  very  bad  Way  indeed ;  unless  it  can  be  proved 
that  Gold  in  Spain,  is  so  much  more  valuable  in 
respect  of  Silver,  than  it  is  with  us,  that  it  will  pur- 
chase so  much  more  Silver  in  Spain  than  it  will  do 
here,  as  is  sufficient  to  pay  the  Freight  of  the  Gold 
out,  and  of  the  Silver  home,  and  the  Insurance  for 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  133 

the  Hazard  of  the  Sea  out  and  home,  with  Postage 
of  Letters,  and  Commission  to  the  Merchants  in 
Spain,  and  a  Profit  sufficient  to  induce  our  Merchants 
to  export  Gold  to  bring  home  Silver  for  it. 

And  besides  all  these  Articles,  together  with  the 
Interest  of  the  Sums  for  the  Time  such  a  remote 
Voyage  as  Cadiz  will  require ;  for  the  Return  can 
hardly  be  put  at  less  than  5  per  Cent,  that  Silver 
must  be  cheaper  with  respect  to  Gold  in  Spain, 
than  it  is  with  us  ;  I  think  I  may  be  positive  that 
the  Difference  cannot  be  so  great  between  these 
Commodities,  since  Portugal,  which  abounds  in 
Gold  from  the  Brazils,  would  find  their  Account 
in  this  Trade,  which  by  their  Neighbourhood  with 
Spain,  they  cou'd  carry  on  at  half  the  Charge,  and 
for  half  the  Profits,  which  our  great  Distance  from 
Cadiz,  makes  absolutely  needful  for  us. 

And  since  the  Merchants  in  Portugal  understand 
getting  Money  as  well  as  others,  can  we  imagine 
their  Gold  would  come  to  us,  as  we  ||  find  by  its  i39 
Circulation  amongst  us  it  doth,  if  they  could  buy 
Silver  with  it  at  such  cheaper  Rates  in  Spain,  as 
would  enable  them  to  send  us  Silver  at  so  much 
higher  Rates  in  respect  of  Gold,  as  the  Silver  would 
thus  cost  them  less  than  it  is  worth  with  us,  in 
respect  of  Gold? 

Hence  therefore  I  conclude,  that  nothing  but 
Spain's  having  such  a  Balance  upon  us,  can  be  the 
Cause  of  our  sending  them  this  Money.  And,  I 
think,  nothing  but  our  Paper  Effects,  which  are 
almost  immense,  if  we  consider  the  publick  Secu- 
rities of  every  Kind,  and  Bank  Notes,  &c.  which 
have  the  Operation  of  Money  amongst  us,  could 
possibly  raise  and  keep  our  Markets  so  high,  as  to 
cause  us  to  receive  more  Goods  in  Value  from  Spain 
than  they  take  of  us.  And  yet,  I  think,  this  must 
be  our  Case,  tho'  we  carry  them  only  Gold.  And 


134  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

thus  it  may  be  said,  we  carry  Coals  to  Newcastle ; 
nor  can  the  Event  be  different,  if  we  go  on  so,  ex- 
cept that  this  Matter  is  of  so  much  more  Importance, 
as  Gold  is  more  valuable  than  Coals. 

I  must  own  I  have  heard  it  supposed,  that  the 
Merchants  in  Spain,  to  avoid  the  Delays  that  of 
late  Years  have  attended  the  Delivery  of  the  Money 
from  on  Board  the  King's  Ships,  and  also  to  elude 
paying  the  Indulto  thereon,  have  found  means  to 
convey  their  Money  by  our  Ships  to  England,  and 
that  this  occasions  the  Exportation  of  Gold  to  Spain ; 
but  I  think  this  Trade  so  dangerous,  both  to  the 
Merchants  in  Spain,  and  our  Ships  too,  that  I  know 
not  how  to  admit  this  for  a  sufficient  Reason. 

Another  Point,  from  whence  I  shall  argue  that 

140  our  Trade  is  in  a  much  worse  State  than  ||  it  formerly 
was,  shall  be  the  following  Estimate  of  the  necessary 
Charge  of  a  Family,  in  the  middling  Station  of  Life, 
consisting  of  a  Man  and  his  Wife,  four  Children  and 
a  Maid-Servant ;  so  as  I  think  a  Person  that  hath 
such  a  Family,  and  employs  L.  1000  of  his  own 
Money  in  Trade,  ought  to  live.    For  if  such  Families 
must  not  have  Necessaries  enough,  and  I  believe 
it  will  appear  I  have  allow'd  no  Superfluities,  I  think 
we  ought  to  give  up  Trade,  and  find  some  other  way 
to  live.     For  Trade  terminates  ultimately  in  the 
Consumption  of  Things,  to  which  End  alone  Trade 
is  carried  on :  Therefore  if  those  that  employ  L.  1000 
of  their  own  Money,  shall  not  be  able  to  supply  such 
a  middling  Family  with  needful  and  common  Things, 
What  then  becomes  of  the  Consumption  of  Things? 
or,  in  other  Words,  What  becomes  of  Trade?    For, 
to  be  sure,  not  one  Person  in  a  good  many  is  the 
real  Owner  of  such  a  Sum. 

If  therefore  such  Families  must  retrench  and 
abridge  themselves  of  common  needful  Things, 
those  in  Trade  below  them,  in  this  respect,  must 

141  much  more  do  so,  if  they  have  Families.  || 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS 


135 


An  Estimate  of  the  necessary  Charge  of  a  Family  in  the  middling 
Station  of  Life,  consisting  of  a  Man,  his  Wife,  four  Children 
and  one  Maid  Servant,  which  I  take  to  be  a  middling  Family. 


per  Head 
per  Day 

d. 
Bread  for  seven  Persons  \ 

Butter  f 

Cheese i 


2* 


Fish  and  Flesh  Meat         

Roots  and  Herbs,  Salt,  Vinegar, "] 
Mustard,  Pickles,  Spices  and  \ 
Grocery,  except  Tea  and  SugarJ 

Tea  and  Sugar 

Soap   for  the  Family  Occasions, ~| 
and   Washing    all    manner  of ' 
Things    both    abroad    and    at 
home 

Threads,  Needles,  Pins,  Tapes, ^ 
Worsteds,    Bindings,    and   all  j-    \ 
sorts  of  Haberdashery    J 

Milk  one  Day  with  another        

Candles  about  2\  Ib.  per  Week  the  Year  "I 
round  / 


H 


Sand,    Fullers    Earth, 
Coal,  Brick-dust 


Whiting,    Small 


10  Shilling  Small  Beer,  a  Firkin  and  a 
Quarter  per  Week 

Ale  for  the  Family  and  Friends 

Coals,  between  4  and  5  Chaldron  per 
Annum  may  be  Estimated  at  - 

Repairs  of  Houshold  Goods,  as  Table 
Linnen,  Bedding,  Sheets,  and  every 
Utensil  for  Houshold  Occasions  - 


6s.  20".  per   Head   Weekly    for    seven 
Persons  amounts  to  near       


Daily 
Expence 

t.     d. 

Weekly 
Expence 
I.    s.    d 

Yearly 
Expence 

I     t 

3  of 

i* 

i  oi 

i     5* 

10  2} 

Si 

2   oi 

7 

4  i 

ID* 

6  ii 

Si 

2   Oj 

f 

Si 

i  3 

2 

3  •! 

2   6 

2    6 

i  6 

L.2  3   1} 

112    10;] 

142 


136  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Yearly 

Expence 

I.       s. 

Brought  over       112    10 

Cloaths  of  all  Kinds  for  the  Master  of  the  Family  16 

Shaving  7  /.  6  d.  per  Quarter,  and  cleaning  Shoes  2  s.  6  d.  \ 

per  Quarter  / 

Cloaths  for  the  Wife,  who  can't  wear  much,  nor  very  fine  \          , 

Laces  with  ] 

Extraordinary  Expence  attending  every  Lying  in  L.  10,  sup-  \ 

posed  to  be  about  once  in  two  Years  j 

Cloaths  for  four  Children,  at  L.  7  per  Ann.  each  Child  28 

Schooling  for  four  Children,  including  every  Charge  there-  ~\ 

unto  relating,  supposed  to  be  equal  at  least  to  ten  Shillings    •          8 

per  Quarter  for  each  Child  J 

The  Maid's  Wages  may  be  4    10 

Pocket  Expences  for  the  Master  of  the  Family,  supposed  to  \  „ 

be  about  four  Shillings  per  Week  J 

For  the  Mistress  of  the  Family,  and  for  the  four  Children  to  \ 

buy  Fruit  and  Toys,  &c .  at  two  Shillings  per  Week  j 

Entertainments  in  return  of  such  Favours  from  Friends  and  \ 

Relations  J 

Physick  for  the  whole  Family  one  Year  with  another,    and 

the  extraordinary  Expence  arising  by  Illness,  may  be  much 

more  than 
A  Country  Lodging  sometimes  for  the  Health  and  Recreation  1 

of  the  Family,  or  instead  thereof,  the  extraordinary  Charge   I 

of  nursing  a  Child  abroad,  which  in  such  a  Family  is  often    [ 

thought  needful  • J 


L.  225 

Rent  and  Taxes  may  be  somewhat  more  or  less  than  50 

Expences  of  Trade  with  Customers,  and  travelling  Charges,  ~| 

Christmas-Box-Money,  and  Postage  of  Letters,  &c,  for  the   >        19 
sake  of  even  Money,  at  least  J 

Bad  Debts  which  may  easily  be  more  than  2  per  Cent,  on  the  \ 


supposed  Capital  of  L.  1000 


£.315 
There  must  be  laid  up,  one  Year  with  another,  for  twenty  ~| 

Years,  in  order  to  leave  each  Child,  and  a  Widow  if  there   >        75 
should  be  one,  L.  500 


L.  looo  therefore  by  this  Estimate  should  gain  one  Year  with  "\ 
'43      another  /      39O 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  137 

Which  for  the  sake  of  a  round  Sum  I  will  call 
40  per  Cent,  per  Annum,  in  order  to  support  such 
a  Family,  and  provide  L.  500  a  Piece  for  four 
Children,  and  a  Widow,  if  there  should  be  one  left, 
which  if  not,  will  augment  each  Child's  Share  but 
L.  125.  And  here  I  suppose  a  Man  to  live  twenty 
Years  from  his  Marriage  to  his  Demise,  which  I 
take  to  be  about  the  Term  one  Man  or  Woman 
with  another  doth  live.  I  don't  mean  by  this  that 
no  Man  or  Woman  lives  longer  from  the  Time  of 
Marriage  than  twenty  Years  ;  I  know  many  live 
much  longer ;  but  I  am  equally  certain  that  as  many 
never  reach  this  Term  as  others  live  beyond  it. 
And  it  will  also  many  Times  happen,  that  5,  6,  7,  8 
or  more  Children  must  be  brought  up  by  some 
Parents,  tho'  perhaps  it  will  more  frequently  happen 
that  less  than  four  will  be  raised  by  others. 

But  those  that  shall  happen  to  have  seven  or  eight 
Children,  will  find  the  *]$l.perAnn.  supposed  in 
this  Estimate  to  be  laid  up,  in  order  to  provide 
500  /.  a  Piece  for  four  Children,  hardly  sufficient  to 
bear  the  extraordinary  Charge,  which  so  many  more 
Children  will  occasion  in  this  Rank  of  Living.  And 
surely  it  must  be  very  hard,  that  the  Man  who 
happens  to  have  a  numerous  Family  (and  many 
such  there  always  are)  should  thereby  be  render'd 
not  only  uncapable  to  provide  any  Thing  for  them 
to  set  out  in  the  World  with,  but  be  reduced  in  a 
Course  of  Years,  as  he  certainly  must,  if  L.  1000 
in  Trade  will  not  produce  at  least  40  per  Cent,  per 
Annum.  || 

But  I  have  not  produced  this  Estimate,  only  to 
shew  what  is  the  needful  Charge  for  the  decent 
Support  of  such  a  Family  in  this  Rank  of  Life,  but 
chiefly  to  shew  that  our  Trade  is  in  a  much  worse 
State  than  it  was  about  forty  or  fifty  Years  ago : 


138  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

For  then  it  was  a  very  common  Thing  for  People, 
from  small  Beginnings,  to  raise  L.  5000  or  more 
for  each  Child,  tho'  the  Families  were  as  large  as 
my  Estimate  supposes :  Which  is  a  Truth  so  well 
known,  that  I  shall  not  attempt  any  Proofs  of  it, 
but  take  it  for  granted,  not  doubting  that  the  Ob- 
servation of  the  aged  and  judicious  Tradesman  will 
allow  it  me ;  and  further  concur,  that  the  State  of 
Trade  in  general  will  now  by  no  means  admit  of 
making  40  per  Cent,  per  Ann.  on  a  Capital  of  L.  1000, 
or  perhaps  hardly  more  than  half  as  much.  Yet  I 
will  not  say  there  are  no  Instances  of  such  Profits ; 
for  perhaps  such  there  will  be,  as  long  as  there  is 
Trade  amongst  us :  But  I  am  certain  they  are  few, 
and  hard  to  be  found  or  guess'd  at,  there  being  too 
many  People  in  almost  every  Occupation  to  admit 
of  such  Gains.  And  I  am  as  certain,  that  the  In- 
stances of  raising  pretty  Fortunes  for  Children, 
about  forty  or  fifty  Years  ago,  from  very  small  Be- 
ginnings, were  vastly  more  numerous  than  any  are 
to  be  found,  at  this  Time,  that  can  make  any  thing 
near  40  per  Cent,  per  Ann.  on  a  Capital  of  L.  1000. 
And  therefore,  I  think,  I  may  justly  conclude,  that 
Trade  is  now  in  much  worse  Circumstances  than  it 
formerly  was.  But  were  our  Trade  to  be  put  on 
the  Foot  I  am  pointing  out,  less  than  30  per  Cent, 
per  Annum  ||  on  such  a  Capital,  wou'd  be  as  sufficient 
for  the  Support  and  Provision  of  such  a  Family,  as 
40  per  Cent,  per  Ann.  is,  as  the  Prices  of  Things 
now  go:  And  then  the  Demand  for,  and  Consump- 
tion of  every  Thing  would  be  so  much  augmented, 
that  it  would  be  as  easy  to  make  $oper  Cent,  per  Ann. 
on  such  a  Capital,  as  it  is  now  to  make  20 ;  for  then 
our  Trade  would  be  in  that  flourishing  State  I  am 
aiming  at. 
But  from  what  I  have  now  said,  and  also  from  this 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  139 

Estimate,  it  must  appear,  that  the  Wealthy  have 
the  Business  and  Affairs  of  the  trading  Part  of  the 
People  transacted,  on  Terms  as  much  below  the 
reasonable  and  just  Value  thereof,  as  the  Profits 
such  a  Sum  will  generally  make,  are  less  than  the 
Estimate  shews  to  be  needful  for  a  middling  Family 
in  this  Rank  of  Life.  Therefore  such  diffusing 
Property  amongst  the  People  in  general,  as  hath 
been  before  in  this  Essay  represented,  is  absolutely 
needful,  not  only  for  the  Sake  of  the  labouring 
People,  but  for  the  trading  Part  too ;  who  together 
undoubtedly  are  more  than  19  Parts  in  20  of  the 
People  of  the  Kingdom*;  the  Generality  ||  of  whom,  146 
by  the  several  Estimates,  appear  to  be  in  equal 
Difficulties,  in  Proportion  to  their  Stations  in  Life. 
And  if  so,  is  there  any  room  to  wonder  at  the  Misery 
we  see  amongst  the  Poor,  or  the  Ruin  which  so 
frequently  befals  the  middling  People ;  since  by 
both  the  Estimates  it  appears,  the  Nature  of  Things, 
in  our  present  Circumstances,  is  so  big  with  these 
Evils,  that  we  may  much  rather  wonder  the  Misery 
and  Ruin  are  not  universal  ? 

Again  it  must  appear  by  this  Estimate,  that  if 
1000  /.  employ 'd  in  Trade,  ought  to  make  so  large 

*  Let  us  see  how  many  Gentlemen  we  may  be  supposed  to  have  in  the 
Kingdom,  by  dividing  the  whole  Rental  of  20  Millions  into  L.  500  per 
Annum,  for  each  Gentleman,  at  a  Medium;  which  I  am  sure  is  cutting 
it  into  as  many  Pieces  as  it  can  be  reasonably  imagin'd  there  are  Gentle- 
men that  subsist  solely  on  their  Estates.  Now  20  Millions  divided  by  500 
gives  40,000,  the  Number  of  Gentlemen  which,  on  this  Supposition,  live 
on  their  Estates  in  this  Kingdom  :  But  if  we  consider  how  many  large 
Estates  there  are,  and  how  few  Gentlemen  can  subsist  on  L.  500  per 
Annum,  as  the  Prices  of  Things  now  go,  it's  very  unlikely  there  are  near 
this  Number  of  Gentlemen  that  subsist  solely  on  their  Estates.  And  yet 
this  Number,  which,  including  their  Families,  with  Servants  and  all, 
I  shall  put  at  8  Souls  at  a  Medium,  is  but  2VPart  °f  8  Millions  of  People, 
which  are  supposed  to  be  the  least  we  have  in  the  Kingdom.  The  rest 
therefore,  except  such  as  have  Places  under  the  Government,  must  neces- 
sarily be  subsisted  by  Trade  or  Labour ;  and  their  Number  must,  by  this 
Rule,  be  more  than  '  o  of  a"  tne  People  in  the  Kingdom,  as  I  have 
asserted  above. 


140  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

a  Gain  as  about  40  per  Cent,  per  Ann.  all  necessary 
Means  should  be  used,  to  make  as  large  a  Con- 
sumption of  all  Kinds  of  Goods,  as  the  Nature  of 
Things  is  well  capable  of;  which,  as  hath  been 
before  sufficiently  shewn,  can  hardly  ever  be  equal 
to  what  the  Wants  of  the  People,  according  to  their 
several  Ranks  and  Stations  only,  will  necessarily 
require.  And  this  should  also  be  done,  for  the  sake 
of  returning  the  Capitals  employed  in  Trade,  as 
frequently  as  possible ;  since  the  quicker  the  Re- 
turns are  made,  the  cheaper  will  the  Goods  come 
to  the  Consumer ;  and  the  slower  the  Returns  are 
made,  so  much  larger  should  the  Profits  always  be, 
that  is,  so  much  dearer  ought  the  Goods  to  be  sold 
to  the  Consumer.  If  this  is  not  the  Case,  the 
Tradesman  must  suffer,  ||  which  is  very  unreason- 
able, since  all  Trade  is  carried  on  solely  for  the  Use 
and  Benefit  of  the  Consumer. 

Again,  this  Estimate  shews,  how  unfit  it  is  to  give 
or  take  long  Credit  in  Trade  ;  since  the  Advance 
of  the  Price  of  Goods  sold  on  Time,  ought  not  to  be 
reckon'd  with  any  Regard  to  the  Interest  of  Money 
on  Securities,  but  by  the  Rates  of  the  Profits  which 
the  Capitals  employ'd  may  require  to  answer  the 
End  of  Trade,  which  is  not  only  the  continual  Sup- 
port of  Families,  but  such  a  Provision  for  them  as 
may,  at  least,  leave  the  Children  in  Condition  to  fill 
up  the  same,  if  not  better  Stations  in  Life,  than  their 
Parents  were  in.  For  as  all  below  this  Point  ap- 
proach so  much  nearer  Poverty,  so,  if  such  Descent 
towards  Poverty  be  too  general  amongst  the  trading 
People,  the  Rents  in  general  will  not  only  fall,  but 
be  lost ;  and  this,  I  imagine,  is  both  seen  and  felt 
too  at  this  Time. 

And  therefore,  I  think,  giving  long  Credit  in  Trade, 
which  is  now  become  much  too  general,  ought  to  be 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  141 

remedied ;  since  it  must  affect  the  Landed-Men, 
either  in  the  high  Price  of  their  Consumables,  or  in 
their  Rents,  or  perhaps  in  both. 

The  last  Thing  I  shall  mention,  to  shew  that  our 
Trade  really  is,  and  hath  been,  for  some  consider- 
able Time  past,  growing  into  a  much  worse  State 
than  it  formerly  was,  shall  be  the  acknowledged 
Dearness  of  the  Labour  of  the  People  in  England, 
to  the  Price  of  Labour  in  most  of  our  Neighbour 
Nations  ;  the  Effect  of  which  hath  been  so  detri- 
mental to  our  Trade,  ||  that  the  Nations  round  us  148 
have,  in  less  than  half  a  Century,  enter'd  on,  and  set 
up  the  Fabricating  many  Manufactures,  which  they 
before  that  Time  had  from  us  only :  Which  hath 
not  only  been  observed,  but  lamented  by  many  of 
our  Merchants  and  Tradesmen,  &c.  And  at  length, 
as  is  notoriously  known,  the  Dearness  of  Labour 
hath  been  found  so  burthensome  to  our  Farmers, 
that  the  Gentry  and  Justices  of  the  Peace,  in  their 
open  Quarter  Sessions,  have  lately,  in  several  Places 
in  the  Kingdom,  attempted  to  redress  this  Evil,  by 
regulating  the  Rates  of  Servants  Wages.  Now 
this  Attempt,  though  it  be  unnatural,  and  impossible 
to  answer  the  End,  is  however  a  publick  Acknowledg- 
ment, that  our  Trade  is  in  a  very  bad  State.  For 
if  our  Labour  be  really  too  dear,  as  it  most  certainly 
is,  then  all  our  Commodities  must  be  so  too;  which 
must  necessarily  greatly  lessen  the  Vend  and  Con- 
sumption of  them.  And  hence  it  will  follow,  that 
this  publick  Attempt  to  reduce  the  Rates  of  Labour, 
amounts  to  a  publick  Declaration  that  our  Trade  is 
in  a  very  bad  State. 

But  after  all  I  have  offer'd,  which  I  think  abun- 
dantly sufficient  to  prove  that  our  Trade  is  in  a 
much  worse  State  than  it  formerly  was,  I  know  it 
will  be  objected,  that  we  have,  at  this  Time,  as  much 


142  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Trade  amongst  us  in  the  Nation  as  we  ever  had ; 
and  that  therefore  our  Trade  is  not  so  bad,  as  I 
have  shewn  it  to  be.  Now,  tho'  I  should  allow  the 
Objectors  their  Assertion,  yet,  I  think,  I  can  not- 
withstanding produce  several  Reasons,  to  shew  that 
our  Trade  is  in  a  much  worse  State  than  it  formerly 
149 was;  as,  || 

First,  That  the  People  in  this  Kingdom  have  in- 
creased considerably  within  the  last  half  Century : 
For  I  have  before  shewn  that  this  Town  is  increased 
about  I  Part,  in  the  Space  of  about  forty  Years. 
And  Sir  William  Pettis  says,  A  Nation  will  double 
itself  in  200  Years,  if  it  be  free  from  War,  Pesti- 
lence, or  Draining  for  distant  Colonies.15  Now  40 
Years  being  \  of  the  Period  he  asserts  a  Nation 
will  double  in,  it  follows,  by  this  Authority,  that  the 
People  in  this  Kingdom  must  be  increas'd  \  within 
the  last  forty  Years :  If  therefore  our  Trade  be  not 
i  Part  greater  than  it  was  about  forty  Years  ago, 
which  I  am  sure  cannot  be  shewn,  it  follows,  that  as 
our  Trade  is  less,  in  Proportion  to  this  Increase  of 
People,  than  it  formerly  was,  it  therefore  must  be 
so  much  worse. 

I  am  sensible  it  may  be  objected,  that  we  have, 
within  half  a  Century,  had  two  Wars  with  France, 
as  well  as  one  in  Ireland  upon  King  Williams 
coming  in ;  and  that  therefore  this  Authority  will 
not  support  so  great  an  Increase  as  I  have  deduced 
from  it.  But  I  answer,  That  we  had  so  good  a 
Trade  about  the  Revolution,  and  during  both  those 
Wars  with  France,  as  drew  more  People  from  abroad 
to  us,  than  these  Wars  did  probably  destroy. 

Again,  Secondly,  allowing  that  we  have  now  as 
much  Trade  in  this  Kingdom  as  we  formerly  had, 
yet  it  must  also  be  allow'd,  that  if  Trade  be  now 
carried  on  for  less  Profit,  than  it  formerly  was,  as  it 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  143 

undoubtedly  is ;  and  this  I  fear  not  will  be  generally 
granted;  besides,  that  I  think,  what  I  have  said 
under  the  last  Estimate,  doth  sufficiently  prove  as 
much:  I  ||  say,  if  Trade  be  now  carried  on  for  less  150 
Profits ;  and  if  the  Charge  of  Living  be  likewise 
grown  much  greater  than  it  formerly  was,  which  I 
know  will  easily  be  allow'd  me  too,  surely  then 
Trade  must  necessarily  be  much  worse  than  it 
formerly  was,  notwithstanding  we  may  have  as 
much  Trade  as  we  formerly  had.  But  altho'  the 
Proofs  I  have  given,  are  sufficient  to  shew  that 
Trade  is  certainly  in  a  much  worse  State  than  it 
formerly  was,  especially  in  this  Metropolis,  I  think 
it  will  not  be  unnecessary  to  shew  how  Trade  stands 
in  the  Country  in  this  respect. 

Now  it  hath  been  long  asserted,  that  many 
Farmers,  in  several  Parts  of  the  Kingdom,  from 
the  Cheapness  of  the  Produce  of  the  Ground,  and 
from  the  Dearness  of  Labour  have  been  obliged  to 
throw  up  their  Farms  to  their  Landlords.  And  of 
late  this  is  grown  so  generally  the  Case,  that  the 
News-Papers*  have  assured  us,  that  most  of  the 
Farmers  all  over  the  Kingdom  must  inevitably  have 
been  ruin'd,  had  not  Corn,  &c.  taken  a  sudden  con- 
siderable and  unexpected  Rise,  which  the  War  now 
broke  out  in  Italy  hath  occasion'd.  And  this  seems 
to  be  allow'd  to  be  Fact,  even  by  the  most  sanguine 
of  those  that  contend  for  the  present  most  flourishing 
State  of  our  Trade,  whilst  they  content  themselves 
with  assigning  this  Cause  for  it,  viz.  That  the 
Gentry  truly  do  not  now  live,  and  spend  their 
Money  in  the  Country,  as  for  ||  merly.  Now  this,  151 

*  Leghorn,  Nov.  7.     The  Emperor  hath  strictly  prohibited  the  Expor- 
tation of  Corn  from  Naples  and  Sicily. Whence  we  hope  the  Demand 

for  British  Corn  in  Spain  and  Italy  will  be  so  great,  as  to  save  our 
Farmers  from  the  inevitable  Ruin  which  must  otherwise  have  attended 
them.  London  and  Whitehall  Evening-Posts  of  Nov.  17,  1733  . 


144  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

if  it  be  true,  seems  to  me  a  very  inadequate  Cause, 
either  of  the  late  Cheapness  of  the  Produce,  or 
present  Dearness  of  Labour ;  to  which  Causes  the 
Farmers  justly  attribute  the  unhappy  Dilemma  they 
have  for  some  Time  labour'd  under. 

But  however ;  Fact  it  seems  it  is,  that  the  Farmers, 
generally,  were  so  near  inevitable  Ruin  as  is  above 
asserted:  Now  I  would  fain  know  what  the  State  of 
Trade  must  be  in  the  Country,  when  the  Farmers 
in  general  were  in  so  dreadful  a  Condition:  For  the 
Trade  in  the  Country,  I  think,  turns  chiefly,  if  not 
entirely,  upon  the  general  Prosperity  of  the  Farmers; 
for  I  believe  the  Country  People  would  be  able  to 
raise  but  few  Manufactures,  if  the  Farmers  in  general 
were  so  reduced,  as  to  be  unable  to  raise  the  Prin- 
ciples out  of  the  Ground,  for  them  to  work  on ;  and 
yet  this  must  be  the  Case,  if  the  Farmers  were 
generally  ruin'd.  For  the  Gentlemens  employing 
their  Farms  themselves,  would  not  mend  the  Matter ; 
since  they  find  by  Experience,  those  Farms  always 
bring  them  in  Debt,  on  which  the  Farmers  find  they 
can't  get  a  Livelihood ;  which  therefore  in  the  End, 
must  ruin  the  Gentlemen  as  well  as  the  Farmers. 
And  therefore  it  follows,  that,  allowing  the  above 
Fact  to  be  true,  the  Trade  in  the  Country,  as  well 
as  the  Trade  in  London,  is  in  a  much  worse  Condi- 
tion than  it  was  formerly,  when  the  Prosperity  of 
the  Farmers,  and  other  Circumstances,  enabled  the 
Gentlemen  almost  universally  to  raise  their  Rents, 
as  it's  well  known  they  have  done  very  considerably, 
152  within  the  Space  of  30  or  40  Years  last  past.  || 

But  I  shall  now  proceed  to  obviate  an  Objection, 
which,  as  Things  are  now  circumstanced,  may  seem 
to  lie  against  this  Proposal,  viz.  'Tis  objected,  that 
the  Plenty  is  now  so  great,  as  to  reduce  the  Price 
of  the  Produce  so  low,  that  the  Farmers  can  pay 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  145 

no  Rent ;  and  therefore  it  follows,  that  we  have 
already  broke  up  and  improv'd  too  much  Land ; 
since  such  Plenty  can  arise  only  from  having  too 
much  Land  in  Use. 

In  answer  to  which,  I  shall  first  observe,  that  the 
Price  of  Things  may  be  reduced  too  low  to  answer 
and  turn  to  Account,  not  only  from  the  Plenty  of 
those  Things  consider'd  in  themselves,  but  from  the 
Inability  of  the  People  in  general  to  purchase  them, 
in  such  Quantities  as  their  Wants  may  require ; 
since  a  considerable  Abatement  of  the  Consumption 
of  any  Thing,  will  operate  to  the  Reduction  of  its 
Price,  more  than  even  Plenty  of  any  Thing,  con- 
sider'd with  due  Regard  to  the  Wants  of  the  People, 
will  do*  ;  and  whoever  considers  the  two  Estimates 
I  have  produced,  which  shew  ||  how  much  greater  153 
the  Wants  of  the  People  are,  than  they  can  in  general 
be  supposed  to  get,  must  ascribe  the  present  low 
Rates  of  the  Produce,  at  least  as  much  to  an  Abate- 
ment of  the  Consumption,  as  to  the  Plenty  con- 
sider'd as  aforesaid ;  since  by  those  Estimates  it 
plainly  appears,  the  Wants  of  the  People  are 
mightily  abridged. 

Again,  this  Objection  is  contrary  to  the  Nature 
of  the  Thing  itself;  since  it  suggests  that  Plenty 
is  so  enormous  an  Evil,  as  in  general  to  ruin  the 

*  If  the  Wants  of  the  People  are  too  much  abridged,  they  must  on  that 
Account  want  Employment,  and  lose  Time,  which  will  make  the  rest  of 
the  Time  they  work  more  valuable,  seeing  they  must  have  a  whole  Sub- 
sistence, tho*  they  shou'd  be  supposed  to  work  but  half  their  Time: 
Whence  the  Things  they  make  will  become  too  dear  to  answer,  and  turn 
to  Account,  because  the  Want  of  a  sufficient  Demand  for,  and  Consump- 
tion of  them,  which  are  Consequences  connected  with  these  Circumstances, 
will  at  the  same  Time  (that  it  inhances  the  Charge  of  making  them) 
depress  the  Value  of  them.  On  the  contrary,  if  we  would  make  Things 
cheap,  the  People  must,  if  possible,  lose  no  Time;  because  only  such 
full  Employment  can  make  every  Thing  cheap,  and  put  it  in  the  Power 
of  the  People  to  purchase,  and  consume  all  the  Things  they  raise,  and 
make.  And  hence  only  can  the  Demand  become  great  enough,  to  make 
them  answer,  and  turn  to  Account. 


IO 


146  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

Farmers  and  Gentlemen.  For  if  the  Farmers  can't 
pay  their  Rent,  they  will  certainly  one  time  or  other 
be  seized  on,  and  torn  to  Pieces ;  and  the  Gentlemen 
must  also  be  ruin'd,  if  they  can  get  no  Rent  for  their 
Lands,  as  this  Objection  suggests.  Now  since  Plenty 
is  in  its  own  Nature  a  general  Good,  and  a  universal 
Blessing,  always  promoting  and  increasing  the  Con- 
sumption thereof,  nor  can  possibly  ever  be  other- 
wise; this  Objection,  which  suggests  that  Plenty  is 
an  Evil,  and  so  great  a  one  too,  must  be  contrary 
to  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  itself. 

Again,  if  it  were  true,  as  this  Objection  suggests, 
that  we  have  already  so  much  Land  in  Use,  as  makes 
the  Plenty  so  great,  as  to  reduce  the  Price  of  the 
Produce  so  low,  that  the  Landlords  can  get  no  Rent 
for  the  Lands ;  yet  if  it  can  be  made  appear  (as  I 
think  by  what  I  have  said  in  this  Essay  it  doth)  that 
more  Land  is  wanted  to  give  full  Employment  to  all 
the  People,  and  thereby  to  supply  their  reasonable 
Wants,  it  will  follow,  whether  Gentlemen  can  or 
154 cannot  get  any  Rent  for  their  Lands,  that  the  || 
People  have  a  just  and  reasonable  Right  to  have 
so  much  more  Land  put  to  Use,  as  shall  be  needful 
and  sufficient  to  give  them  full  Employment,  and 
subsist  them  comfortably;  because  every  Person  is, 
by  Nature,  as  much  intitled  to  all  the  Land  he  can 
cultivate  and  use,  as  he  is  to  the  Air  in  which  he 
breathes :  For  he  can  no  more  live  without  culti- 
vating the  Ground  to  supply  his  Wants,  than  he  can 
breathe  without  Air.  And  therefore,  since  Mankind 
are  all  by  Nature  born  equal  in  this  respect,  it  can 
never  be  reasonable  to  abridge  any  Part  of  Mankind 
of  this  their  natural  Right,  unless  it  can  be  clearly 
prov'd,  that  it  is  for  the  Good  of  every  Individual 
to  be  thus  abridged ;  and  therefore,  that  they  ought 
either  to  purchase,  or  pay  Rent  for  the  Land  they 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  147 

shall  use  and  enjoy.  And  this  indeed,  I  doubt  not, 
I  could  clearly  make  appear,  if  I  were  to  shew  the 
Preference  of  Civil  Government,  rightly  administer'd, 
to  a  simple  State  of  Nature  without  Government ; 
of  which  the  Hottentots  seem  to  me  to  be  the  chief, 
if  not  the  only  Instance  we  have  now  perhaps  in  the 
World ;  and  yet,  I  believe,  I  should  prefer  their 
abject  Condition  to  any  arbitrary  or  oppressive 
Government  on  Earth.  But  I  deny  that  there  is, 
or  ever  was  such  a  Plenty  as  this  Objection  suggests; 
because  the  Produce  of  the  Ground,  when  brought 
to  Market  by  the  Farmers,  is  always  sold  for  ready 
Money.  Now  it  is  impossible  that  any  Thing  can 
properly  be  said  to  be  too  plentiful,  for  which  the 
Demand  is  always  so  great,  as  to  make  it  a  ready 
Money  Commodity.  For  if  the  Plenty  were  really 
too  great  for  the  De  ||  mand,  it  would,  as  we  know  155 
many  sorts  of  Goods  and  Manufactures  are,  neces- 
sarily be  sold  for  Time.  And  since  nothing  but  a 
greater  Plenty  of  any  Thing,  than  the  Demand  for 
it  requires,  is  the  Foundation  and  Cause  of  selling 
such  Things  on  Credit,  it  follows,  that  the  Produce 
is  not  too  plentiful,  since  it's  always  sold  for  ready 
Money.  Nay,  Victuals  and  Drink,  which  are  the 
only  Things  in  this  Objection  I  am  properly  con- 
cern'd  with,  are  so  far  from  being  too  plentiful,  that 
they  are  generally  sold  for  ready  Money,  even  down 
to  the  meanest  Consumer.  For  the  Number  of 
those  who  do  not  pay  present  Money  for  these 
immediate  Necessaries,  are  not  only  few  in  Com- 
parison, but  even  those  Persons,  generally  speaking, 
always  pay  for  these  immediate  Necessaries  in  a 
very  short  Time,  unless  when  such  a  one  happens 
to  be  trusted,  that  is  not  able  to  pay  at  all.  And 
this,  I  believe,  is  so  generally  known  to  be  true, 
that  I  need  not  fear  having  the  Concurrence  of  the 


148  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

People  in  general  on  my  side ;  by  which  the  Truth 
of  this  Argument  must  stand  or  fall,  no  other  Proof 
being  possible  in  this  Case. 

If  therefore  it  be  not  the  Plenty  of  the  Produce, 
that  is  the  Cause  that  it  is  at  present  sold  so  cheap, 
that  the  Farmers  can  pay  no  Rent,  as  I  think  I  have 
sufficiently  proved  it  is  not,  it  will  be  necessarily 
required  to  shew  what  is  the  Cause  of  so  melancholy 
a  Truth,  as  this  Objection  is  founded  on.  For  I 
allow  that  perhaps  there  never  were  so  many  Farms 
quitted,  and  thrown  on  the  Gentlemens  Hands  in 
England,  as  at  this  Time.  || 

Now  this  Cause  I  assert  is  chiefly,  if  not  solely 
owing  to  too  great  a  Scarcity  of  Money  amongst 
the  People  in  general.  And  in  order  to  prove  this, 
I  must  shew  what  are  the  Signs  of  a  sufficient  Plenty, 
and  of  too  great  a  Scarcity  of  Money  amongst  the 
People. 

Now  the  Signs  of  a  sufficient  Plenty  of  Money 
are  these ;  the  Houses  well  fill'd  with  Inhabitants, 
the  Rents  well  paid  for  them,  and  Fines  exacted ; 
as  also,  that  the  Rents  for  Lands  in  general  be  well 
and  duly  paid  ;  and  that  we  be  not  over-burthen 'd 
with  Poor ;  nor  our  Roads  or  Streets  infested  with 
Highwaymen  and  Robbers :  When  Things  are  thus 
circumstanced,  Trade  may  be  truely  said  to  be  in  a 
flourishing  State,  or  Money,  on  which  Trade  floats, 
may  be  said  to  be  sufficiently  plentiful ;  and  more 
plentiful  than  this  it  never  can  be. 

On  the  other  hand,  since  it  is  now  notorious  that 
the  Number  of  empty  Houses  is  very  great,  and 
instead  of  Fines  for  them,  as  formerly,  the  Rents 
are  lower'd,  and  still  falling ;  besides,  that  the  Land- 
lords very  frequently  fit  them  up  too  for  the  Tenants; 
and  our  Poor  are  so  very  much  increased,  that  we 
are  obliged  to  transport  many  of  them  ;  and  our 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  149 

Roads  and  Streets  are  so  exceedingly  infested  with 
Highwaymen  and  Robbers,  as  perhaps  the  like  was 
never ;  and  since  the  Objection  says,  the  Landlords 
can  now  hardly  get  any  Rents  for  their  Farms : 
These  Signs  therefore,  being  exactly  the  Reverse 
of  the  former,  must  needs  be  as  certain  and  evident 
Proofs  of  a  Decay  of  Trade,  or,  which  is  tantamount, 
of  too  great  a  Scarcity  of  Money  amongst  the  People 
in  general,  ||  as  the  aforemention'd  Circumstances  157 
were  Signs  and  Proofs  of  a  flourishing  Trade,  and 
a  sufficient  Plenty  of  Money  amongst  the  People 
in  general ;  nor  do  I  know  what  Kinds  of  Proofs 
could  be  produced,  or  reasonably  required  besides, 
or  stronger  than  these. 

For  if,  when  the  Houses  were  well  fill'd  with  In- 
habitants, the  Rents  were  not  only  well  paid  for 
them,  but  Fines  frequently  exacted ;  and  we  were 
not  then  over-burthen'd  with  Poor,  as  we  are  now ; 
nor  our  Roads  nor  Streets  infested  with  Highway- 
men and  Robbers :  If  the  Rents  for  the  Lands  were 
then  likewise  well  paid,  and  raised  too,  as  they  cer- 
tainly were ;  and  if  now  the  Gentlemen  can  hardly 
get  any  Rents  for  their  Lands ;  and  all  the  contrary 
Marks  and  Signs  are  upon  us :  It  must  be  plain 
that  it  is  not  the  Plenty  of  the  Produce,  but  too  great 
a  Scarcity  of  Money  amongst  the  People,  which  hath 
reduced  Trade  to  so  languishing  a  Condition,  that 
Tradesmen  in  general  can't  get  Money  to  pay  the 
usual  Rents  for  the  Houses,  nor  the  Farmers  for 
the  Farms. 

And  this  squares  exactly  with  what  I  said  to  illus- 
trate my  fourth  Principle,  that  if  Money  decreases 
amongst  the  People,  they  must  be  distress'd,  unless 
either  their  Numbers  be  diminish'd,  or  the  Prices  of 
Things  lower'd  in  such  Proportion.  And  since  these 
Marks  and  Signs  are  sufficient  Proofs  of  too  great 


150  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

a  Scarcity  of  Money  amongst  the  People  in  general, 
they  must  also  be  equal  Proofs  that  the  Cash 
amongst  them  in  general  is  considerably  diminished, 
at  least  that  it  is  not  increased  in  Proportion  to 
158  their  Number,  and  the  Prices  of  Things.  || 

And  hence  we  may  see  that  whatever  hurts  Trade 
to  any  considerable  Degree,  will  also  hurt  the  Land- 
lords of  Lands  and  Houses  too,  if  there  be  any 
Truth  in  the  Fact  contain'd  in  the  Objection  I  have 
now  answer'd. 

And  if  what  I  have  ofifer'd  be,  as  I  think  it  is,  a 
sufficient  Answer  to  the  Objection,  supposing  the 
Fact  to  be  true,  it  follows  then  that  the  Gentlemen 
if  they  would  have  any  Rents  for  their  Farms,  are 
under  a  Necessity,  as  fast  as  possible,  to  cause  so 
much  waste  Land  to  be  inclosed  and  improved,  as 
shall  actually  reduce  the  present  Rates  of  Labour, 
and  the  Subsistence  of  the  Farmers,  so  much,  that 
the  Price,  the  Produce  of  the  Earth  will  fetch  at 
Market,  may  be  sufficient  to  bear  all  Charges,  and 
leave  an  Overplus  to  pay  such  Rents  as  the  Lands 
will  then  be  found  to  bear.  For  whilst  the  necessary 
Charges  of  the  Labour,  &c.  and  the  Subsistence  of 
the  Farmers  continue  so  great,  as  to  equal  the  Price 
the  Produce  of  the  Ground  fetches  at  Market,  it  is 
impossible  the  Gentlemen  should  have  any  Rents 
paid  them.  The  Objection  suggests  this  to  be  the 
Case  at  present ;  and  I  am  sure  that  a  Scarcity  of 
the  Produce  will  not  mend  the  Matter,  whatever 
they  may  think  of  such  a  Calamity. 

Now  that  the  necessary  Charges  of  the  Labour, 
&c.  and  the  Subsistence  of  the  Farmers  may  be  so 
much  lower'd,  as  to  leave  an  Overplus  out  of  the 
Price  the  Produce  of  the  Ground  fetches  at  Market, 
sufficient  to  pay  some  Rent,  is  certain  ;  because, 
when  the  Produce  of  the  Ground  did  hardly  fetch 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  151 

^  Part  of  its  present  Rates,  some  Rent  was  as  cer- 
tainly paid,  as  that  j|  we  always  had  Gentlemen  in  i$9 
the  Kingdom  who  liv'd  on  their  Estates.  And  if, 
as  I  have  before  sufficiently  made  out,  the  lowering 
the  Rates  of  Labour  will  make  every  Thing  fall,  in 
much  greater  Proportion  than  the  Rents,  it  must  be 
evident  that  an  Overplus  must,  in  this  Case,  remain 
to  pay  Rent ;  and  that  the  Gentlemen  will  be  the 
richer  too,  for  persuing  such  Measures,  as  shall  be 
effectual  to  reduce  the  present  Rates  of  Labour,  &c. 
And  now,  I  hope,  it  doth  fully  appear,  that  the 
Gentlemen  have  no  Reason  to  fear  improving  so 
much  waste  Land  as  I  am  contending  for,  since 
perhaps  they  are  not  like  to  get  any  Rent  any  other 
way ;  except  that  I  must  add,  that  the  taking  the 
Taxes  intirely  off  Goods,  would  mightily  help  them 
in  this  Point,  since  it's  pretty  certain,  the  Taxes, 
and  Charges  of  collecting  them,  together  with  the 
Advance  on  the  Price  of  Goods  they  occasion,  do 
now  absorb  near  half  the  Rent  of  the  Kingdom,  as 
hath  been  before  shewn.  Nay,  I  do  verily  believe, 
that  taking  the  Taxes  intirely  off  the  Things  the 
working  People  consume,  is  so  absolutely  needful, 
that  Labour  can  hardly  be  reduced  without  it. 

And  that  which  makes  me  think  so,  is  the  pro- 
digious Augmentation  of  the  Price  of  Goods  by 
Taxes ;  an  undeniable  Instance  of  which,  the  taking 
the  Duty  off  Salt,  and  laying  it  on  again  hath  pro- 
duced. For  Salt,  when  the  Duty  was  taken  off,  was 
cried  about  Street  three  Pounds  for  five  Farthings ; 
and  no  sooner  was  the  Duty  laid  on  again,  but  the 
Price  became  to  the  Consumer  (as  it  was  before  the 
Duty  ||  was  taken  off)  five  Farthings  for  one  Pound.  ,60 
So  that  the  Duty  on  Salt  hath  trebled  its  Price  to 
the  Consumer.  This  Instance  therefore  makes  me 
think  it  impossible  to  reduce  the  Rates  of  Things 


152  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

by  Tillage,  &c.  alone,  so  much  as  to  reduce  the 
Rate  of  Labour,  except  taking  the  Taxes  intirely 
off  the  Things  the  working  People  consume  and  use, 
be  also  brought  in  Aid.  And  I  dare  say  this  will  be 
found  so  too,  if  ever  it's  tried. 

But  there  remains  a  Difficulty  or  two,  which  per- 
haps it  may  also  be  needful  to  remove,  viz.  First, 
That  since  a  great  many  Estates  in  this  Kingdom 
are  mortgaged,  if  the  Rents  of  Lands,  by  the  Exe- 
cution of  this  Proposal,  should  be  considerably 
lower'd,  many  such  Estates  will  hardly  be  worth 
more  than  they  are  mortgaged  for ;  which  may  be 
a  very  great  Hardship  to  abundance  of  People. 
I  would  therefore  most  humbly  propose  that,  when- 
ever the  Wisdom  of  Parliament  shall  think  fit  to 
make  an  Act  to  inclose,  and  improve  so  much  com- 
mon and  waste  Land  as  shall  be  needful,  and  may 
be  effectual  to  the  Purposes  this  Essay  sets  forth  ; 
(for  I  believe  it  can  hardly  be  effected  without  such 
an  Act  of  Parliament ;)  I  say,  I  would  most  humbly 
propose,  that  a  Clause  be  added,  that  all  Mortgagees 
shall  be  obliged  annually,  or  in  any  other  Manner 
that  may  seem  meet,  to  strike  off  such  Sums  from 
the  Principal  Money  lent  on  such  Estates,  as  shall 
hold  Proportion  to  the  Fall  of  the  Rents  of  Lands. 
This  can  be  no  Hardship  to  the  Mortgagees,  since 
the  Residue  of  their  Money  and  Interest  will  do,  at 
least,  all  the  same  Things  which  their  ||  whole  Sums, 
with  the  Interest,  would  have  done  if  no  such  Alter- 
ation were  made,  as  the  full  and  sufficient  Execution 
of  this  Proposal  will  effect. 

The  Mortgagees  will  be  so  far  from  being  singular 
in  this  Case,  that  this  is  what  must  happen  to  every 
Tradesman,  whose  Stock  in  Hand  being  our  Pro- 
duce, or  Manufactures  of  any  Kind,  will  be  con- 
tinually falling,  as  fast  as  such  Produce  or  Manu- 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  153 

factures  shall  from  Time  to  Time,  by  the  Plenty  of 
them,  be  made  cheaper.  Nor  will  this  be  any  Pre- 
judice to  any  Tradesman,  since  every  Time  they 
buy,  in  this  Case,  such  Goods  will  be  as  much  cheaper 
than  when  they  bought  last,  as  those  Commodities 
have  fallen  on  their  Hands ;  and  the  remaining  Sums 
every  way  as  powerful  to  buy  what  they  may  have 
Occasion  for,  as  the  whole  Sums  would  have  been 
if  no  such  Alteration  had  happen'd,  as  this  Proposal, 
if  executed,  will  effect. 

As  to  foreign  Commodities,  their  Prices  depending 
on  the  Markets  whence  they  are  brought,  will  hardly 
be  affected  by  this  Proposal ;  and  as  to  Book  Debts 
and  Notes,  the  Credit  of  this  Kind  being  never  in- 
tended to  be  of  any  long  Duration,  I  think  no  Alter- 
ation should  be  made,  respecting  them.  But  if  this 
Proposal  should  be  executed,  a  Hardship  will  fall 
on  many  who  have  Leases  of  Lands,  unless  a  Clause 
be  likewise  made,  to  give  such  Tenants  Leave  to 
surrender  their  Leases  to  their  Landlords ;  but  this 
must  only  be  at  the  Option  of  such  Tenants,  because 
if  they  think  fit  to  hold  their  Leases,  the  Covenants 
must  be  fulfilled,  even  as  ||  if  no  Alteration  were  162 
made  by  the  Execution  of  this  Proposal. 

And  if  another  Clause  were  made  to  this  Purpose, 
that  any  Person  being  willing  to  inclose,  and  improve 
any  reasonable  and  proper  Quantity  of  waste  Land, 
fit  for  one  Person  to  undertake  the  Improvement  of, 
wherever  such  waste  or  uninclosed  Land  is  to  be 
found,*  such  Person  should  have  Power  to  do  so, 
on  Condition  only  of  giving  Notice  in  Writing  to 
the  Proprietors  of  such  waste  Land ;  or,  if  such 

*  Dr.  John  Lawrence,  in  his  new  System  of  Agriculture,  Page  5,  says, 
I  can't  but  admire  that  the  People  of  England  should  be  so  backward  to 
enclose,  which  would  be  worth  more  to  us  than  the  Mines  of  the  Indies 
to  the  King  of  Spain. 


154  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

waste  Land  belong  to  a  Parish,  to  the  Vestry,  who 
should  receive*  such  Rents  as  shall  be  agreed  by 
two  Persons  indifferently  chosen,  one  by  the  Propri- 
etors or  Vestry,  the  other  by  the  Incloser  of  such 
Lands :  And  if  they  can't  agree,  a  third  Person 
should  be  obliged  to  fix  and  determine  the  Rents 
for  any  proper  Term :  And  it  should  be  recom- 
mended by  the  same  Act,  that  the  Referees  always 
have  all  due  Regard  to  the  Good  of  the  Person 
inclosing  and  improving  such  waste  Land,  because 
the  Riches,  Strength,  and  Honour  of  a  Nation  de- 
pend on  the  utmost  Improvements  of  their  Lands, 
l63  all  ||  other  Things  being  only  Consequences  of  this: 
I  say,  if  such  a  Clause  were  further  added,  this  whole 
Affair,  and  all  the  Benefits  I  have  been  representing, 
would  thenceforth  execute  themselves,  so  long  as 
we  have  any  waste  or  unimprov'd  Land  left.  And 
when  we  have  no  more,  the  People  must  remove 
themselves  where  they  can  have  Land  enough  to 
support  them ;  or  our  Country  will  certainly  become 
weak  and  miserable,  by  its  being  more  numerous, 
than  the  Continent  we  have  can  support  in  an 
happy  Condition. 

I  shall  conclude  with  offering  something  about 
the  Execution  of  this  Proposal.  But  shall  premise, 
that  since  all  Trade  and  Commerce  is  founded  in 
the  Wants  of  Mankind  solely,  and  that  these  can 
be  supplied  only  by  Cultivation  and  Tillage,  all 
other  Things  depending  intirely  thereon,  it  must 

*The  Rent  paid  to  such  Parishes  or  Vestries,  should  be  annually  dis- 
tributed to  those  who  had  a  Right  of  Commoning  on  such  Lands  as  may, 
from  Time  to  Time,  be  enclosed  and  improv'd ;  and  that  in  such  Pro- 
portion as  their  several  Rights  may  intitle  them  to  ;  unless  the  Parliament 
should  think  it  more  useful  and  beneficial  to  apply  such  Rents  to  the 
Relief  of  the  Poor,  in  those  and  other  Parishes  that  may  stand  in  need  of 
Assistance  and  Relief,  or  direct  its  Application  any  other  fitter  Way  ;  or 
unless  those  who  have  the  Right  of  Commoning,  will  enclose  and  improve 
it  in  such  Parts,  as  their  several  Rights  may  intitle  them  to. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  155 

clearly  appear  to  what  Causes  to  attribute  that 
Decay  of  Trade,  of  which  such  great  Complaints 
have  been  made  from  all  Parts  of  the  Kingdom, 
even  to  the  Parliament ;  and  that  those  have  not 
rightly  consider'd  the  Nature  and  Foundation  of 
Trade,  who  have  so  vilely  traduced  as  wise  and 
good  a  Government  as  this  Nation  ever  had,  when 
they  have  insinuated,  at  least,  that  this  Decay  of 
Trade  is  owing  in  any  Degree  to  their  Conduct. 

For,  I  hope,  I  have  shewn  that  a  Decay  of  Trade 
will  unavoidably  arise  from  the  Course  of  Things 
themselves,  where  such  an  Addition  of  Land  is  not 
annually  cultivated,  as  shall  at  least  hold  Proportion 
to  the  natural  Increase  af  Mankind ;  and  likewise 
that  a  Decay  ||  of  Trade  is  the  necessary  and  un-i64 
deniable  Consequence  of  a  Decrease  of  the  Nation's 
Cash,  since  the  Consumption  of  every  Thing  must 
lessen  in  such  Degree,  as  the  Cash  circulating 
amongst  the  People  lessens,  if  the  Prices  of  Things 
in  general  be  not  reduced  in  like  Proportion,  by  the 
Means  I  have  shewn. 

For  if  every  Thing  bears  the  same  Price,  and  the 
Number  of  Consumers  is  not  lessen'd,  it's  plain, 
they  having  in  this  Case  so  much  less  Money 
amongst  them,  must  purchase  as  much  fewer  Things, 
as  the  Want  of  so  much  Money  will  necessarily 
prevent  them  from  buying ;  and  this  will  increase 
the  Number  of  Poor,  and  make  them  miserable, 
according  as  the  Degree  of  the  Decrease  of  Cash 
cuts  off  more  or  less  Business  from  amongst  the 
People. 

The  Consequences  will  be  just  the  same,  if  the 
People  increase,  and  Cash  doth  not  increase 
amongst  them  in  like  Proportion. 

And  further,  I  think  it  appears,  that  it  is  not 
Luxury  which  occasions  a  Decay  of  Trade ;  but 


156  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

that  such  a  Decay  of  Trade,  as  dispossesses  many 
of  that  Property  their  Wants  and  natural  Rights 
intitle  them  to,  is  that  alone  which  possesses  a  com- 
parative Few  with  such  Affluence,  as  both  causes 
and  supports  their  Luxury,  and  allures  and  draws 
in  many  into  such  luxurious  Excesses,  as  are  beyond 
their  Abilities  to  support.  Therefore,  imputing  the 
Decay  of  Trade  to  Luxury,  must  be  a  very  great 
Error,  since  it  puts  the  Effect  for  the  Cause. 

And  again,  I  believe  our  Paper-Effects  have  con- 
tributed as  much  to  this  Decay  of  Trade,  as  all  the 
165  rest  put  together,  by  inhancing  the  ||  Price  of  every 
Thing  amongst  us,  above  the  Rates  our  real  Specie 
would  have  supported  them  at,  in  such  Proportion 
as  the  Paper-Effects  amongst  us  are  greater  than 
the  real  Specie  we  have  circulating ;  for  this  is  the 
natural  and  unavoidable  Effect  of  any  Thing  oper- 
ating as  Cash,  which  is  not  such. 

But  to  return :  I  would  most  humbly  propose 
that,  if  possible,  100,000  Acres  of  Land  be  for  some 
Years  successively  taken  in,  and  inclosed,  as  near 
London  as  such  a  Quantity  of  Land  is  to  be  had, 
because  the  labouring  People  may,  I  believe,  be 
more  easily  drawn  from  hence  to  cultivate  it,  than 
from  any  other  Parts ;  and  because  the  Cities  of 
London  and  Westminster  will,  I  imagine,  sooner  feel 
the  Effects  in  the  Cheapness  of  Provision  of  all 
Kinds,  which  will  soon  put  the  Inhabitants  into  Cir- 
cumstances to  occupy  more  Houses,  and  cause 
others  to  flow  to  them,  and  thereby  fill  the  empty 
Houses ;  for  where  the  Trade  is,  the  People  will 
come. 

Again,  I  would  most  humbly  submit  it  to  the 
Consideration  and  Goodness  of  His  most  Gracious 
Majesty,  whether  his  Majesty  might  not,  by  giving 
his  Crown  Lands  in  proper  Parcels  on  quit  Rents, 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  157 

or  any  proper  Acknowledgments  for  a  Term  of 
Years,  begin  this  good  Work,  and  relieve  the  poor 
Artificers  and  Manufacturers,  for  whom  His  Majesty 
hath  from  the  Throne  most  graciously  expressed 
great  Compassion.*  ||  %  i 

And  if  His  most  Gracious  Majesty  shall  please 
to  continue  to  add,  for  some  Years,  such  a  Quantity 
of  Crown  Lands,  in  several  Parts  of  the  Kingdom, 
to  be  cultivated  on  like  easy  Terms,  there  will  be 
People  enough  that  will  accept  and  improve  them. 
And  if  at  the  End  of  any  proper  Term,  when  such 
Possessors  shall  pay  Rent  for  them,  an  Incourage- 
ment  be  given,  by  allowing  such  Parcels  of  Lands 
on  easy  Rents,  for  some  further  Term  of  Years, 
this  Incouragement  will  be  attended  with  the  utmost 
Improvement  of  such  Lands,  and  Wealth  to  every 
prudent  and  industrious  Possessor  of  them,  and  will, 
in  a  few  Years,  be  a  very  considerable  Estate  to  the 
Crown,  arising  by  these  Rents ;  and  hereby,  the 
dismal,  and  otherwise  irremediable  Calamity  of 
many  will  be  alleviated  and  relieved,  Tears  wip'd 
from  many  Eyes,  and  many  broken  Hearts  heal'd, 
and  Multitudes  saved  from  Imprisonment,  Trans- 
portation, and  the  Gallows ;  besides  preventing 
many  from  deserting  the  Kingdom,  as  they  are  now 
continually  doing,  to  seek  that  Bread,  which  they 
can't  find  in  their  native  Country,  to  support  them 
with  Comfort. 

Thus  will  His  most  Gracious  Majesty  become  a 
Kind  of  Deity  to  his  People,  whilst  he  is  thus  imi- 
tating the  Beneficence  of  our  heavenly  Father, 
whose  Representative  on  Earth  he  will  thus  be,  in 
the  most  exalted  Sense. 

*  I  look  with  Compassion  upon  the  Hardships  of  the  poor  Artificers  and 
Manufacturers.  See  his  Majesty's  most  Gracious  Speech  of  January  13, 
1729. 


158  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

I  must,  indeed,  own  myself  a  Stranger  to  the 
Quantity  of  Crown  Lands,  that  are  at  present  un- 
cultivated ;  though  I  can't  doubt  that  there  are 
enough  to  set  this  useful,  and,  as  I  believe,  absolutely 

167  needful  Proposal  at  Work  ;  which  ||  will  be  found  to 
be  an  inexpressible  Benefit  to  all  Ranks  and  Degrees 
of  Men  amongst  us,  if  fully  and  sufficiently  executed. 

But  I  must  further  note,  that  if  so  great  a  Part  of 
the  Kingdom  as  about  30000  square  Miles,  remain 
at  present  uncultivated,  as  I  have  supposed  in  this 
Essay,  it  will  probably  take  more  than  one  Century 
to  put  it  all  to  Use;  so  that  there  will  be  Land 
enough  to  plant  Timber  on,  beside  what  should  be 
raised  in  the  Hedges  and  Banks.  For  the  making 
Timber  plenty,  is  undoubtedly  of  as  great  Impor- 
tance to  our  Maritim  Trade,  and  Naval  Power,  as 
the  Cultivation  and  Tillage,  I  have  been  contending 
for,  is  to  the  Support  and  Happiness  of  the  People ; 
beside  the  further  Usefulness  of  such  Plenty  of  Tim- 
ber for  Building,  and  making  our  Iron,  tanning  of 
Leather,  and  many  other  Uses  and  Purposes,  for 
which  it  will  become  absolutely  necessary,  if  ever 
this  Proposal  should  be  executed. 

But  perhaps  it  may  be  thought,  such  an  Addition 
of  Land  every  Year  may  reduce  the  Rents  of  Lands 
too  much.  In  answer  to  which  I  shall  only  say  that, 
when  the  Necessaries  of  Life  are  reduced  so  low 
that  we  can  work  as  cheap  as  the  Nations  round 
about  us,  and  that  the  Wages  of  a  working  Man 
will  purchase  enough  to  support  such  a  Family,  as 
the  Estimate  is  made  for,  in  the  Station  of  a  labour- 
ing Man's  Family  ;  as  none  of  them  can  then  want 
Work,  which  I  think  I  have  proved  by  shewing  how 
great  the  Wants  of  the  People  are ;  so  the  Rent 
the  Lands  will  then  bear,  is  really  that  proper  and 
fit  annual  Rent,  which  ||  will  be  found  best  for  all 

168  Ranks  and  Stations  of  Men. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  159 

But  if  Things  must  not  be  put  on  so  good  a  Foot, 
I  cannot  help  thinking,  that  it  would  be  much  happier 
for  the  People,  that  they  were  in  a  State  of  Nature, 
where  all  Men  being  born  equal,  have  a  natural 
Right  to  any  Quantity  of  Land  they  think  fit  to  use, 
and  to  put  it  to  what  Use  they  please,  provided  it  be 
not  occupied  by  any  other :  For  whoever  occupies 
any  Land  in  this  Case,  is  the  rightful  Possessor  and 
Proprietor,  so  long  as  he  continues  to  occupy  and 
use  it.  For  though  I  don't  think  a  State  of  Nature 
to  compare  with  the  State  of  Civil  Government,  if 
the  Plenty  be  made  great  enough  to  support  the 
People  comfortably,  yet  if  the  Bulk  of  Mankind  be 
made  miserable  by  the  Oppression  of  the  rest ;  as 
they  undoubtedly  are,  when  the  Wages  of  the 
Labourer,  and  Price  of  Necessaries  for  such  a  Family 
as  he  must  often  sustain,  and  which  indeed  he  was 
chiefly  sent  into  this  World  to  raise,  are  not  very 
near  equal :  I  say,  such  an  unhappy  State  of  Man- 
kind is,  in  my  Opinion,  worse  than  a  State  of  Nature 
itself. 

For  as  Men  form  themselves  into  Societies  or 
Governments,  to  make  themselves  more  happy  than 
they  would  be  in  a  State  of  Nature,  it  is  but  just, 
that  as  they,  for  that  End,  give  up  their  natural 
Right  to  the  Land,  which  by  this  Principle,  that  all 
Men  by  Nature  are  born  equal,  they  have  an  in- 
defeasable  Right  to  take  and  possess,  wherever  it 
lies  unoccupied  by  any  other ;  I  say,  it  is  but  just, 
so  much  Land  be  continually  added  and  improv'd 
amongst  ||  them,  that  every  Thing  thereby  be  ren- 169 
der'd  so  plentiful,  and  consequently  so  cheap,  that 
the  Wages  of  the  labouring  Men,  and  Price  of  Nec- 
essaries become  so  equal,  that  they  may  all  com- 
fortably support  such  a  Family,  as  they  were  sent 
into  this  World  to  raise,  and  therefore  ought  to 


160  JACOB  VANDERLINT 

support,  unless  through  Sickness  or  Weakness 
such  an  one  becomes  unable  to  labour  for  them ; 
and  then  his  and  his  Family's  Support  becomes  a 
just  Debt  on  the  Publick,  so  long  as  they  really 
stand  in  need  of  it. 

And,  I  further  say,  if  so  much  Land  were  con- 
tinually added,  and  so  well  improv'd  as  to  keep 
these  Points  (viz.  the  Wages  of  the  labouring  Man, 
and  Price  of  Necessaries  for  the  Support  of  a  Family) 
together,  Trade  could  never  stand  in  need  of  any 
other  Care  or  Concern  of  any  Government,  let  the 
Subjects  carry  it  on  in  whatever  Way  or  Manner 
they  possibly  could*.  For  if  the  Trade  were  so 
gainful,  as  to  increase  the  Cash  amongst  the  People, 
in  greater  Proportion  than  the  People  increase,  the 
Prices  of  Things  would  only  become  higher  in  such 
Proportion.  And  if  the  Cash  decreased  (which,  by 
the  way,  I  believe  would  be  impossible)  as  then  more 
of  the  People  must  fall  into  Tillage,  &c.  from  a  Want 
of  Business,  which  is  the  necessary  Consequence  of 
a  much  greater  Importation  of  Foreign,  than  Ex- 
i70portation  of  our  own  Commodities  ;  so  ||  employing 
the  People  this  Way,  would  bring  down  the  Prices 
of  Things  to  the  Cash  amongst  them  (i.  e.  to  their 
proper  Value),  and  would  soon,  by  making  their 
Produce  and  Goods  so  much  cheaper,  enable  them 
to  export  more  of  their  own,  and  import  less  foreign 
Goods,  and  thereby  recover  their  foreign  and  mari- 
time Trade. 

Thus  the  Flux  and  Reflux  of  Trade,  which  we 
hence  see  is  all  govern'd  by  Money,  or,  in  other 

*  This  is  the  sole  Rule  concerning  Trade,  to  which  any  Government 
should  ever  attend,  and  which,  if  sufficiently  attended  to,  will  always 
render  them  as  powerful,  and  their  People  as  happy,  as  the  Nature  of 
Things  is  capable  of;  and  is  therefore  infinitely  preferable  to  any  Encour- 
agements or  Restraints  in  favour  of  Trade,  which  ultimately  will  always 
terminate  in  Mischief  to  Trade. 


MONEY  ANSWERS  ALL  THINGS  161 

Words,  by  the  Prices  Goods  of  all  Kinds  bear  in 
each  Nation,  with  respect  to  the  Prices  of  the  same 
Kinds  of  Goods  in  each  other  Nation,  would  infallibly 
furnish  as  much  Employment  and  Happiness,  as  the 
State  of  Mankind  is  capable  of.  And  thus  would 
Government  answer  up  to  the  Felicity,  Mankind 
wisely  sought  by  uniting  themselves  into  such  Bodies 
and  Societies.  Nor  could  this  possibly  fail  of  making 
Mankind  thus  happy,  unless  the  Defect  be  in  the 
Constitution  of  the  World  it  self  to  answer  the  End. 
And  I  think  none,  that  have  any  just  Sentiments  of 
the  Perfections  of  the  Deity,  will  ever  suppose  that. 
O  happy  Time !  when  shall  it  once  be,  that  Princes 
and  great  Men  of  the  World  will  let  Mankind  thus 
naturally  employ,  and  make  themselves  happy ! 
And  by  thus  suffering  them  to  support  themselves, 
remove  much  of  the  Misery  of  the  World,  and 
together  introduce  Knowledge,  and  Prudence,  and 
Virtue  in  much  larger  Degrees  than  at  present ! 
For  Ignorance  and  Vice  are  almost  inseparably  con- 
nected with  Poverty  and  Want.  The  Destruction 
of  the  Poor  is  their  Poverty. 


FINIS. 


NOTES 

1  (page  14)     Baker,  Geoffrey-Le  (d.  1358-60).     Chronicon  Galfridi  le 
Baker  de  Swynebroke  [1303-56],  ed.  E.  M.  Thompson.     Oxford,  1889.— 
Another  edition,  J.  A.  Giles.     Caxton  Soc.  London,  1847. 

2  (page  23)     "A  Conference  with  a  Theist,"  in  five  parts,  8vo,  1696 
(3rd  edit.,  enlarged  to  2  vols,  in  1723).     For  details  of  Nicholls's  life  as 
author  and  divine,  see  Dictionary  of  National  Biography,  tub  nom. 

3  (PaSe  35)      "Another  Essay  in  Political  Arithmetick,  concerning  the 
Growth  of  the  City  of  London,"  1683,  p.  15  ;  reprinted  in  "  Economic 
Writings  of  Sir  William  Petty"   (ed.   Hull),  p.  463.     Vanderlint's  ac- 
quaintance with  "  Sir  William  Pettis's  "  opinions  were  probably  derived, 
as  intimated  in  the  text,  entirely  from  William  Nicholls's  "  Conference 
with  a  Theist." 

*  (page  39)     August  20,  1714. 
5  (page  41)     October  19,  1711. 

8  (page  42)  "  Physico-Theology  :  or,  A  Demonstration  of  the  Being 
and  Attributes  of  God,  from  His  Works  of  Creation.  Being  the  substance 
of  sixteen  sermons  preached  in  St.  Mary-le-Bow-Church,  London,  at  the 
Honourable  Mr.  Boyle's  lectures,  in  the  years  1711,  and  1712.  With  large 
notes,  and  many  curious  observations."  Eighth  edition.  London,  1732. 
For  the  passage  in  question,  see  p.  176,  note  i. 

7  (page  44)      "  New  System  of  Agriculture,  being  a  Complete  Body  of 
Husbandry   and   Gardening,"    1726.     The   author,  John  Laurence    (not 
Lawrence,  as  p.  90,  below),  himself  a  clergyman,  is  best  known  for  hi* 
"  Clergyman's  Recreation,  shewing  the  Pleasure  and  Profit  of  the  Art  of 
Gardening,"  1714 — which  reached  a  fourth  edition  in  1716   (Dictionary 
of  National  Biography,  tub  nom.). 

8  (page  45)      "A  Treatise  of  Taxes  and  Contributions,"   1662,  p.  59 
(Hull,  p.  78);  "The  Political  Anatomy  of  Ireland,"  1691,  p.  25  (Hull, 
p.  154);  letter  of  Petty  to  Southwell,  August  20,  1681  (Hull,  p.  467). 

'  (page  48)  "The  State  of  the  Nation,  in  Respect  to  her  Commerce 
Debts  and  Money."  London,  1725.  The  author's  name  did  not  appear 
on  the  title-page,  but  was  appended  to  the  dedication  "To  the  King." 
Modern  interest  in  the  tract,  which  was  reprinted  in  1726,  in  1731  and  in 
1751,  grows  largely  out  of  McCulloch's  opinion  that  it  contains  at  least 
one  passage  "  not  surpassed  by  anything  in  Smith  or  Ricardo  "  ("  Litera- 
ture of  Political  Economy,"  p.  351). 


164  NOTES 

10  (page  63)      "  State  of  Woolen  Manufactures  Considered."     By  Ben- 
jamin Ward,  Yarmouth.     Printed  by  R.  Ford.     1731.  27  Jpp.  8vo.     The 
author  is   not  mentioned   by   McCulloch,  Palgrave   or  the  Dictionary  of 
National  Biography,  but  the  tract  is  included  in  Massie's  "  Catalogue  of 
Commercial  Tracts,"  (No.  2801). 

11  (page  90)      "Abridgement  of  the  Royal  Society's  Transactions,  from 
1700  to  1720."     3  vols.  410.     London,  1721.     Originally  a  printer,  Motte 
developed  into  bookseller  and  publisher,  and  as  such  brought  out  "  Gull- 
iver's Travels,"  and  other  of   Swift's  writings    (Dictionary  of  National 
Biography,  sub  nom.) . 

12  (page  96)      [Daniel   Defoe],   "A   Plan   of  the   English   Commerce. 
Being  a  Compleat  Prospect  of  the  Trade  of  this  Nation,  as  well  the  Home 
Trade  as  the  Foreign."     London,  1728.     McCulloch  notes  that,  "What 
is  called  the  second  edition  is  merely  the  first  edition  with  a  new  title-page 
and  a  brief  appendix"  ("  Literature  of  Political  Economy,"  p.  45). 

18  (page  118)     See  p.  126  note,  below. 
14  (page  130)     May  u,  1713. 
16  (page  142)     See  note  8,  above. 


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